Rise of the Champions
by milady dragon
Summary: Sequel to "The Hunters and the Prey" - Things are coming to a head. Loki has escaped from his prison on Asgard with the help of the last of Hydra. A new magical threat in the form of powerful Artifacts may be on the horizon. Baron Nick has a plan, but no one knows if that plan will succeed...not even the ones involved in said plan.
1. Chapter 1

Rise of the Champions - Chapter One

Author: Milady Dragon

Disclaimer: Not mine, darn it.

Author's Note: Here it is, the next Wizard and Deathless story. It follows up "The Hunters and the Prey", which I managed to leave with a cliffhanger...you know I'm not sorry about that, right? *laughs*

I was going to start posting on Tuesday, but I just couldn't wait. Also, this story is not finished, but since it's currently sitting at over 250,000 words, I figure I have enough time to get it done, hopefully over NaNo this year. I'll still be posting on Tuesday and Saturday, as well.

So, sit back, and I hope you enjoy the ride!

* * *

_Eleven Years Ago…_

"So," Loki of Asgard drawled, looking supremely bored with the whole thing, "you're the infamous Dark One." One side of his mouth quirked upward in a knowing smirk. "You certainly don't look like much, I have to say."

The Void Wizard said nothing. Because Loki's words meant nothing more than an attempt to rile him up, to get under his skin, to throw him off before the duel to come.

The Dark One was anger and hate, fire and fury. This pissant meant nothing to him, and he would gladly destroy Loki to get the Hawk back.

Loki had taken Clint Barton. Clint belonged to the Dark One. And no one stole from him and lived to tell the tale.

When the Widow had come to him and Marcus, where they'd been laying low in Barony Great Lakes after returning to the Western Lands after the razing of Buda-Pest, telling them the tale of their run-in with Loki of Asgard and how the Wizard had used magic to subvert the Hawk to his will, the Dark One had been so very incensed…even more so than usual, because Clint meant something to him, something that he would never admit to.

The Dark One didn't love. He didn't deserve to love, and be loved in return.

He'd wanted to track down Loki immediately, but Marcus' cooler head had prevailed. The Widow had gone ahead in order to find Clint among Loki's sycophants, while Marcus had decided they'd needed to scope out the extent of the mad Asgardian's forces. The Dark One had recognized them immediately as the Chitauri, an ancient race of demons that had been distantly related to the Nameless Demons that had once descended upon the United Kingdom over a thousand years ago, and just as deadly. How Loki had managed to call them up, the Dark One couldn't say, but if he set them against the armies of the Western Lands, it could have very well been a disaster.

Not that the Dark One was necessarily patriotic. No, he only wanted what he'd claimed as _his_. And this trumped-up would-be invader wasn't going to stand in his way.

Taking a good long look at his opponent, the Dark One could _see_ the Void swirling about him, and it was obvious that he wasn't nearly as strong as the Dark One. He could take the Asgardian easily, he was certain of that.

It was the spear that Loki had that was worrying.

It was silver metal, a little shorter than a traditional spear, with a curved blade that reminded the Dark One of a halberd point. There was a gemstone mounted just under the base of the blade, and it glowed blue, obviously magical, and yet it wasn't any sort of magic the Dark One had ever seen before. It wasn't Void…but it wasn't Cardinal or Great, either; its magical aura was faint, as if it was hiding itself from any sort of scrutiny, but the Dark One understood just how powerful that thing was, having seen what it could do to even the strongest minds. He wondered vaguely where Loki had gotten such an Artifact, but then decided it didn't matter. He was going to take that thing away from its current owner and destroy it.

Loki seemed a little nonplused by the lack of response to his comment, if his fine brows drawing down a little over his nose was any indication. "What…nothing to say?" he pressed, taking a step toward the Dark One.

They had come across each other in this small town in Barony Shandling; he didn't even know the name of the place, only that it had been obvious that Loki and his forces had been heading in this direction. Marcus was still out, scouting the territory; the Widow was still attempting to locate the Hawk amid those selfsame forces, hoping to get him out and then find a way to break the spell that Loki had put him under.

That had left him to face Loki in a duel of magic.

Not that the Dark One cared. He wanted to end this bastard, the one who'd warped the Hawk to his will. That was inexcusable.

Loki would pay for that outrage.

The Dark One still didn't speak. He had no reason to. He was here to kill this invader, and that was what he was going to do.

The first spell he cast was Fire.

Loki managed to block it, sending the fireball into the side of a building, which promptly burst into flame.

The Asgardian was grinning as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Surely you can do better than that," he taunted once more, lazily spinning the spear in one hand, the other curling into the hand movements of what the Dark One recognized as an Ice Spell, as if Loki was doing whatever was the opposite of what the Dark One had done.

He easily shrugged off the spell. He didn't even feel cold.

He let a smirk tick his lip upward. He'd wanted to test Loki with that last spell, and he'd watched as the Asgardian's own magic had reacted, and what he'd seen had been only a little interesting. Loki was confident in his magic, confident enough that he didn't use a wand, but his connection to the Void wasn't as strong as the Dark One's own. It would be easy to tire the Asgardian out, quickly gaining the upper hand.

That was, if the Dark One had any interest in spinning the fight out any longer.

Which he didn't, as the longer that Clint was under Loki's thrall, the angrier he became.

The Dark One let out a flurry of spells.

Paralysis.

Brainfire.

Smother.

A Stunner, even though he had no reason other than making Loki as helpless as Clint must have been.

The magical strikes forced Loki back on his heels, and he threw up the spear in an attempt to block the spells. For the most part, he managed to do that, but the Brainfire and the Smother spells seemed to take a toll.

The smirk widened into a full-blown smile as the Dark One watched Loki's reactions. The attack seemed to make the bastard that much angrier, and he sent his own magic against the Dark One… who easily brushed them all aside with just a wave of his hand.

He heard Lola scream in challenge, but he couldn't let any of his attention waver from his own fight. The Dark One trusted his dragon to take care of business, and focused on Loki solely, Lola's fierce emotions roaring through the part of his mind that was dedicated to her, and that fierceness buoyed his own.

Loki snarled in frustration, sending more magic after what he'd already cast. Once again, the Dark One deflected it all, not caring that they were doing more damage to the surrounding buildings than to each other. A part of him really did want to spin this out, to make Loki see just how futile challenging him was, but his main thoughts were of the Hawk, still out there and under thrall. If Clint hadn't been in such immediate danger, the Dark One certainly would have played a little, let Loki believe he was actually getting somewhere. But that wasn't going to be the case now.

It was time to end it.

The Dark One pulled the Void around him, summoning it to him as easily as he could breathe. He could see Loki's eyes widening in surprise as he must have seen the power that the Dark One could control; the Asgardian waved a hand, barked a single word.

It was a Blinding spell.

For the most part, the Dark One was able to block it. However, for an instant he was blinded, and he blinked quickly to dispel the spots in front of his eyes. It only took a heartbeat, and Loki hadn't moved, so he snarled and readied one of the many killing curses he knew, to hurl at the bastard in front of him.

There was a sudden pressure in his chest.

The Dark One glanced downward.

The tip of Loki's magical spear was protruding from his chest.

The image of the Asgardian in front of him wavered like smoke, vanishing on the wind.

It had been an illusion, the Blinding spell a cover in order to cast it.

Loki had then gotten behind him.

The Dark One felt his heart begin to stutter in his chest, pierced as it was by that awful metal spear. His breath caught, the sudden wave of pain making it impossible to get his lungs to move. He could feel warm air on his cheek as Loki leaned in. "I have been gifted with glorious purpose," he whispered in his ear. "And you are not going to stop me."

"You'll…fail…" the Dark One managed to get out, even as he was sliding off the spear's tip and falling to the ground.

Loki leaned over him, his faced twisted darkly. "Seems as if I have already succeeded."

The Void began to encroach in his eyesight, coming to finally claim him. In that moment, the Dark One felt at peace, knowing his struggle was over, that the fear and anger and hatred that had long fueled his need to destroy was fading away with his life's blood. He could finally rest.

There was one thing he wanted to do.

With his last breath, he let loose his final curse, the blast catching Loki in the chest and sending him flying backward.

As the Void came for him, the man who'd been born Phillip J. Coulson sent up a prayer to the Gods he wasn't so sure he believed in anymore that Natasha would succeed, that she'd find Clint and bring him back.

The Void was calm.

The Void was peace.

The Void sang to him.

And then, after a passing of time, the Void kicked him right back out again.

Only, he could not remember actually _dying_.


	2. Chapter 2

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Thor, Prince of Asgard and elder son of Odin the King, stalked down the hallways of the palace, his fist clasped around the leather-wrapped handle of his hammer, Mjolnir, tight enough that, if the weapon hadn't been magical, he would have snapped the handle in half.

Why did his father not realize the danger? Loki had escaped not quite a week ago, and yet Odin was doing nothing to locate him! There was no way of knowing what mischief Loki would have gotten up to in the time he'd been missing!

Loki might have been his brother, but Thor knew _exactly_ what sort of man he was: someone whose very sanity was balanced on a knife's edge, and could fall in either direction depending upon the circumstances. It had not helped that much of Loki's magic had been damaged at the time, when he'd been taken by the forces of the Western Lands and their Wizard's Guild, which had made it possible to imprison him far easier than it would have been if he'd been fully in control. It had never really grown back to its once-great strength, and that had not done his mental balance all that well. Plus, having been exposed to the magic of that cursed spear…no, Loki was no one to trust, and leaving him to his own devices was not conducive to a peaceful life.

And yet, his father was not ordering a hunt for Loki. He was also not dispatching anyone to warn the Council of Barons of the Western Lands, who would be familiar with Loki's predations and who would need to prepare in case something like that occurred once more. Thor was at a loss to understand Odin's reasoning behind such inaction.

Yes, Odin had claimed that searching for Loki would be in vain. After all, not even the Royal Seer, Heimdall, who noticed all things in every realm, could see Loki even with his own powerful magicks. Loki was somehow protected, and nothing they did would counteract that protection. Mother had said it was a part of Loki's innate abilities, inherited from the Ice Giants of the North, from which clan he'd been fostered to the Asgardian Court in the name of peace between their peoples, and there were no spells that she was aware of that would allow them to seek past it.

If anyone would know that, it was Frigga of Asgard, who was the greatest Wizard in the entire kingdom. She might not have the same sort of magic as Loki did, but she had made a study of her younger son's abilities and knew what Loki was capable of.

"Thor."

Speaking of Mother…

Her soft voice coming from the open doorway on his left had Thor stopping in his tracks, his boots almost skidding on the highly polished stone of the hall. Queen Frigga was tall, and blonde, her dark eyes knowing as she stared at him, a concerned expression on her beautiful and ageless face.

In Thor's opinion, his Mother was the most beautiful woman in Asgard. And, if he was acknowledging it, he knew of many women and none of them could hold a candle to Frigga.

"Mother."

"My son. Please, join me."

She held out an elegant hand, and Thor accepted, her fingers warm and strong and with the unmistakable calluses made by much sword practice, as she was a graceful and powerful battle mage in her own right. She pulled him along effortlessly, into the bedchamber that she'd taken to waiting in, the room clean and yet obviously a guest chamber, as it was not currently occupied. The furnishings were all dark wood and red brocade, very much in keeping with the palace's opulent style.

Thor had had no idea that his furious rambling about the palace had taken him into the guest areas. He should not have been surprised, as he had not paid attention to where he was going, so distracted by what he deemed as the injustice of his father's apathy in regard to finding Loki and warning the Western Lands that their one-time, would-be conqueror was loose once more upon the world.

Once the door was shut, Frigga pulled him toward the bed, a single touch on his shoulder propelling him to sit. Placing Mjolnir on the floor, Thor turned slightly in order to face her directly as she sat beside him, her skirts flowing about her feet in graceful folds as she, also, faced Thor, reaching to take his now-free hand so that she would be holding both. His mother's dragon, Fulla, sat next to him, resting her golden head on Thor's knee, making a concerned, purring growl as she settled.

"Calm yourself," she urged, squeezing his fingers in comfort.

Thor sighed. "I am sorry, Mother. But Father is being unreasonable…"

Frigga gave him a commiserating smile. "Yes, in this you are correct. Your brother has always had a bent toward darkness, and his mischief has always reflected that…as has his current madness."

That was true, he conceded. He could still recall the japes Loki would play upon him, when they were children. In the light of adulthood, they could very easily be seen as on the wrong side of malicious.

It did not mean that Thor loved his brother any less; it simply meant that he was not blind to Loki's ways.

"If we cannot find Loki by magic," Thor insisted, "then we should honor our treaty with the Western Lands and warn their Barons that my brother is loose once more."

Frigga nodded. "I am in agreement." It was her turn to sigh. "Odin is…Thor, you should know that your father is ill. I suspect that it is beginning to affect his judgment in certain areas."

Thor's heart lurched painfully in his chest. His father? Ill? "How long has he been thus? And why was I not told?" As the eldest son, Thor had been trained to be his father's successor since he passed his eighth Naming Day. If he would be taking the throne sooner rather than later…

"I wanted to speak before now," she confided, "however, Odin refused me permission. He claimed he did not want his son's pity."

Yes, Odin was a proud man. Thor could understand this reasoning quite easily. "What is it, Mother?"

"It is an affliction of the brain. A small growth sits behind his good eye, and the healers have done all they can for him. It is only a matter of time." Her eyes were downcast, although Frigga of Asgard would never be seen weeping even as her heart was breaking. She and Odin had been wed for nearly sixty years, and the pain of losing him to this illness would test her strength.

As it would test Thor's own.

"There…is something else that you do not know of Loki's escape," Frigga said. "Two things, in point of fact."

He was confused, and while he was too proud to admit it, his Mother knew him too well.

"The first," she began, "was that your brother had help to escape."

"You are positive?" The moment the words were out of his mouth, Thor knew they were unnecessary. Mother was very adept at magic, and had done her own scans of the wards surrounding Loki's prison.

She did not seem to take offence at the questioning of her abilities. "I am. It was a Void Wizard, of that I am certain. Beyond that, I cannot be of more use, as whoever it was, was quite proficient with obscuring their identity."

Thor wracked his memories, in an attempt to discern who might have had motive to release Loki from his cell. He could think of no one of his acquaintance – or even Loki's – who would do such a thing, knowing Odin's sentence of perpetual imprisonment and the punishment for breaking that imprisonment. Although, he had to admit that his father's erratic behavior over the last several months was, perhaps, not as covert as he might have hoped. Whoever it was, seemed to feel no fear at Odin's assigning punishment to someone who broke his ruling.

"And you said, there is a second thing?" he prompted, putting aside the idea of a conspirator for now. Perhaps, when he had more information, he could begin to make certain deductions.

"I did, yes." Mother met his eyes directly. "I have heard from our friend in the Wizard's Guild that the one Loki was…damaged by…has survived and is now Grand Master of Voids for the entire Guild."

Thor's mouth dropped open. He had no real story behind Loki's capture, only that he'd faced off against a very powerful Wizard and had won, only at great cost to Loki's own magic. That cost had been what had allowed the Wizard's Guild to eventually take him prisoner, as he had not been able to fight back as effectively against the Wizards sent to apprehend him.

If this man who had challenged Loki had somehow survived…it would have given Loki an impetus needed to escape. His brother was a proud man, even more prideful than their father, and would have taken this Wizard's continued existence as an afront. And to have risen to such a lofty height…yes, this Wizard would be in grave danger indeed.

While Asgard did not ascribe to the Wizard's Guild, he was aware that his mother had a contact within that august body who would keep her apprised of such goings' on as needful. So he trusted this intelligence wholeheartedly, knowing that it had come from an impeccable source, one that he knew very well himself.

"We must warn this Wizard of Loki's escape," Thor declared. "Just as we must do the Western Lands' Baronial Council."

"Thor," Mother said, "I am in agreement with you. However, you know as I do that your father would not countenance it. Yes, he would if he was not so ill, but as of now…still, in my heart, I know we must contact the Baronial Council and warn them of the danger. I shall speak with our friend in the Wizard's Guild, and have them warn the Grand Master of Voids as well. You, my son, I trust with this mission to New Andrade, to speak to the Council. Will you accept it?"

Thor drew himself up proudly. Pride did, indeed, run within the royal family of Asgard, although his had oft taken beatings of late he still suffered from its effects at times. "I shall do this deed. I will leave as soon as I may gather supplies and arrange transport."

Frigga gave him a pleased smile. "I knew you would. Please, be careful, Thor. While I trust the Barons and Wizards of the Western Lands, your brother could easily corrupt yet another, as he did back during his original invasion. The spear he carried had aided him in that purpose; however, he has his own power that is not magic, and can do much to sow discord amongst our allies even without that powerful Artifact at hand."

Thor was well aware of his brother's wiles, and could very much believe that he would attempt to bend people to his will in his search for revenge. "What do you plan on saying to Father if he makes note of my disappearance?"

"I believe arranging an alibi would be for the best."

Thor returned her smile. Yes, he could do that easily enough. "I have the perfect one, Mother." He was fond of hunting, so he may drop the hint that this was what he would be doing. Father would believe it of him easily.

"Excellent." She rose, and Fulla went to her side. "I shall leave you to your preparations. Come see me before you leave, so that we may coordinate our stories."

"I will." Thor also stood, now energized with a goal to work towards. He would go to New Andrade, speak to the Barons there, and trust his mother to contact the Wizard she knew in the Guild. Then, perhaps, they would be able to find Loki.

The worst thing that could happen would be that Loki somehow escapes their justice. There would be no way to locate him if he went completely to ground.

Thor did not believe in worse-case scenarios.


	3. Chapter 3

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Captain Jack Harkness, the man known as the Deathless, looked around, an involuntary shudder passing through him at the sight of the bright banners and flapping ribbons that decorated the traveling show. It had been set up in an open field outside Starling-Town, the main city for Barony Starling, one of the middle Baronies of the Western Lands. The weather was warm and bright and perfect for being outdoors.

He knew there was nothing to be worried about. This traveling show wasn't part of the Night Travelers, it was a perfectly ordinary group, as well as the one most familiar to one of his companions. Still, he couldn't help the slight superstitious tingle that swept down his spine as they paid for their entry onto the grounds and merged with the press of townsfolk who were excited about the entertainment they were about to witness.

Clint Barton walked ahead of himself and Toshiko, leading the way under the banner that proclaimed this as being Carson's Traveling Show of Wonders and Delights. The booths that had been set up had been converted from the wagons themselves, their sides or backs opened to reveal games, food stalls, and other attractions to draw in the people, to get them to spend their money in whatever way that struck their fancy. As they walked by, there was a sudden shout as someone won a prize at one of the stalls.

Colorfully dressed employees mingled with the crowds, hawking souvenirs and being a living advertisement for the various attractions beyond the wagons. A woman escorted an elephant along the way, using a bamboo stick to touch the large animal and guide it in the direction she wanted it to go. Children were gathering around the woman and her 'friend', laughing and shouting questions; the woman answered them cheerfully, even going so far as to direct the elephant to pick one of the kids up with its trunk. The child giggled and squealed in sheer joy.

Carson's Traveling Show seemed just like any other, but Jack was still tense. He couldn't help himself.

When Clint had suggested putting the word out amongst the traveling shows for any word of Hydra, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. However, with all but two members of the Void Cabal now under lock and key, Jack had thought they wouldn't have to make this particular trip.

However, it had been two weeks since Pierce's ignominious demise at the proverbial mercy of the Void, personified in its Champion, Phil Coulson, and there was still no sign of Catherine Hale and her daughter, Ruby, to be had anywhere. It was as if they'd dropped off the face of the world.

So, they were now attempting to get any sort of word on the pair, because two Hydras on the loose was two too many. Which meant they were enacting Clint's idea to get the word out to the traveling shows, since they went everywhere and saw everything. And, according to the Elf, at this particular one he had contacts, albeit ones he hadn't really talked to in years. He'd also once performed there as the Amazing Hawkeye, although Jack didn't exactly know what had caused Clint to leave and become a mercenary…and to eventually fall into the orbit of the Dark One and Marcus Johnson.

There were other areas of inquiry they were pursuing, but Jack and Toshiko had volunteered to go with Clint…and Jack was beginning to think he'd been a little too naïve in assuming this wasn't going to affect him in some way. The Night Travelers had long been a personal bogeyman of his, but even with the knowledge that Carson's wasn't even tangentially affiliated with those horrific ghosts it wasn't easy for Jack to step under that colorful banner and into the crowd that had filled the large open space beyond, which in turn was lined with all sorts of booths and tents, ready to take whatever coin the unwitting and innocent public would drop on the games and exhibits within.

Jack felt a hand touch his; looking down, he noticed Toshiko threading her fingers through his, her clasp comforting. He'd known Toshiko Sato for a long time, and she could read him like a book by now. His nervousness must have been visible at least to her.

He smiled at her gratefully. She smiled back at him, giving him a small nod in return.

The noise of the crowds surrounded them, laughter and shouting and gasps of awe. There was also a smattering of dragons around, betraying the presence of Wizards among the spectators; Clint's dragon, Lucky, landed just in front of the Elf leading them, chattering excitedly at the sight of the new dragons in the throng. Clint laughed, then made a gesture; Lucky hopped about, laughing his own dragon-y laugh, and darted into the press of visitors in order to greet those dragons he did see, to make new friends with them.

Knowing that the Elf had his own dragon, and wasn't a Wizard himself, made Jack grin.

Finding out that Clint had gained a dragon from the Queen of Air and Fire herself had been a revelation. Jack had met Idris before, back when Genosha had first reemerged from its pocket of space where it had hidden from what they'd believed had been a war that would have destroyed the world. That war had been averted, thanks to Jack's old friend, Master John Smith, the man who'd called himself the Doctor, so it hadn't been necessary for Genosha to hide, and its losing its magical barrier had caused a mess that, in some places, was still being cleaned up even after nearly a hundred years. The tsunami that had been kicked up had killed thousands, and had destroyed cities all along the coastlines of the countries along the ocean basin. One of those had been Cardiff Town, and Jack had been on the frontlines of aiding the survivors there.

Ianto had been the one who'd used his magic in an attempt to save the town, helped by his friend, Charles Xavier…who'd been an exile from Genosha, and the Royal Wizard there to boot. Together, they'd done everything possible to mitigate the disaster, but other cities and towns hadn't been so lucky.

Idris had been a marvel, and some day Jack hoped to meet her again, under perhaps better circumstances.

"This place has changed," the Elf observed, dropping back a little in order to walk with Jack and Tosh. "But then, it's been almost twenty years since I…since I left."

There was a story behind that pause, one that Clint hadn't shared with them yet. It was a pause filled with bad memories and pain, and Jack was beginning to wonder if it had been such a good idea to come here, after all. Not if it was putting their friend through the wringer.

"We don't have to do this," Jack murmured. "We can get the word out in other ways."

Clint shrugged. "It was my idea. Be kinda shitty to let someone else do it. Besides, this place I know… and it knows me. I'm more likely to get information than a total stranger would."

Understanding the insular nature of the traveling shows, Jack couldn't argue with that.

"How long were you with Carson's?" Toshiko asked. Clint hadn't exactly explained a lot about his time with the traveling show, only saying that it had been him and his brother at the time, and there'd been also something about running away from an orphanage.

"Twelve years," Clint answered, nostalgia coloring his words. "I was eight and Barney was twelve when we ran away." He glanced around, the small smile on his face one of fond remembrance. "Old Man Carson was a good sort. He gladly took us in, although at the time he said it was because the place needed the help, and not because he happened to notice the bruises and the fact that we were both skinny and underfed. He could've gotten into serious trouble with the authorities in every single one of the baronies we played in if it had gotten out that we were orphans and didn't belong to anyone here."

_That_ was an understatement. While Jack didn't know the laws of the Western Lands as well as those of the United Kingdom, child labor rules were pretty much universal: it didn't happen. And, if it did and the person was caught, it would have meant a lengthy prison term.

"It was good for a while," Clint went on, as they passed beyond the games and food stalls and toward the immense tent that took up most of the space that the traveling show had been allowed to set up in. "Barney learned all about knife throwing, and of course I turned out to be Hawkeye, the Greatest Marksman in the World. But Barney got jealous of my success, and that led to a lot of shit I'd just as soon not remember." He shrugged as if it all didn't matter, but Jack could tell that it did. I totally mattered. "Let's just say that Hawkeye ended up retiring, and the Hawk was born. Haven't been back since, but Carson will remember me and he'll be happy to help out."

Jack and Toshiko followed Clint as he skirted the big tent, heading around it toward what looked like the wagons that were the living quarters for the traveling show had been set up. A regular camp had been put together, the wagons circling a main firepit, the area almost deserted as most of the employees were busy working the attractions. The ones who were staring at them as they approached must have been some of the headlining performers who would be in the main tent later on, in whatever capacity they entertained the masses who'd come to see the show.

Clint had once been one of those performing under the big tent. There was a part of Jack who wished he'd been able to see him as a youngster, in whatever costume he'd worn, trick-shooting and never missing. It must have been magnificent.

Lucky rejoined them as they neared the wagons, the dragon landing next to Clint and staying by his side. Jack could tell the Elf's mood by his dragon, having learned that useful skill from about a hundred years of exposure to Myfanwy, and it was obvious that Clint was nervous about the coming meeting. Jack, who didn't know the whole story, felt as if he couldn't blame his friend for feeling that way.

One of the performers got up from where he'd been seated at the firepit, heading toward the rear door of the larger of the wagons, knocking on the door to announce their approach. Clint didn't pause; he strode right up to the circular space, Jack keeping just behind the mercenary's left shoulder, while Toshiko flanked Clint on the right. They were there as back-up, as this was Clint's mission. Jack would trust him to handle it, but he would be there to lend emotional or physical support as needed.

The door of the wagon opened, and a human woman stepped out. Jack guessed she was in her forties, with brown hair and dark eyes, dressed in a brightly colored skirt that fell to the tops of well-worn ankle boots. Her green blouse had full sleeves that were snug at her wrists yet wide at the shoulder, flowing about her chest just as the skirt swirled about her calves. She was beautiful; Jack might have been taken for eternity but he wasn't blind.

The woman glanced at Clint, and a brilliant smile graced her features. "Clint!" she exclaimed, practically running forward to meet the Elf and throwing her arms around him the moment he was within range.

Clint returned the embrace and, even though Jack couldn't see his face from where he was standing, he could tell the Elf was affected by the reunion as much as the woman was.

Eventually, they stepped away from each other. "Laura," Clint greeted her, his voice warm. "You are as beautiful as the last day I saw you."

She slapped his shoulder teasingly. "Flatterer. And you've grown up." She glanced around him, noticing Jack and Toshiko. "And you've brought friends for your first visit in twenty years." Her dark eyes were curious.

Jack put on his best smile. "Captain Jack Harkness," he introduced himself. "And this is my Second, Toshiko Sato." He reached over and took her hand in his, gallantly kissing her knuckles. "And you are?"

"Jack, stop." Toshiko was laughing at him.

Jack leaned forward, as if to say something in confidence to their host. "She never lets me say hello."

The woman – Laura – shook her head. "I can understand why, if this is how you greet everyone. Not that I'm objecting, of course." She gave him a rather saucy wink. "Although my husband might have something to say about it."

"As would mine," Jack confided, returning the wink. "He gets jealous."

"No," Toshiko corrected him. "_Ianto_ doesn't." She was grinning widely, because this was an old disagreement.

She was right, though; Ianto didn't get jealous. Jack was the jealous one, although he often denied any such thing. His friends knew him and saw through his denials easily.

"This is Laura Carson," Clint introduced, shaking his head in what looked like disbelief. "Her father owns this traveling show."

"I own it now," Laura answered, her eyes turning solemn. "Dad passed away about a decade ago. I've been running things ever since."

"I'm sorry," Clint murmured. "I would have come sooner if I'd known."

"I know, Clint. Dad spoke of you at the end. He wished things had been different. He missed you."

"I wish they had, too." There was regret in his words, but there was also something else, something Jack couldn't identify. His curiosity really wanted to know exactly what had caused Clint to leave the show, but he also respected the Elf enough not to push it. Ianto would be proud of his restraint.

Lucky chose that moment to make his presence known. The dragon plopped himself down at Laura's feet, chirping at her inquisitively.

His behavior had Clint rolling his eyes fondly. "And this is Lucky," he chuckled, his somber expression lightening. Dragon's objective achieved. "He's mine, and I'm his."

Laura's fine brows rose in surprise. "I always knew you were a Wizard with any sort of projectile weapon, but I had no idea…"

"Oh, I'm not a Wizard, but it's a story I'd love to tell you when we have time. But for now, is there somewhere we can speak privately?"

"Sure, we can use my wagon."

She bustled them all into the wagon she'd emerged from. It seemed to look larger on the inside, but Jack was fairly certain that was an illusion…although he was aware that there were spells that could do that sort of thing. See Ianto's map tube for an example.

There was a single, long bench-like sofa along one side of the wagon, covered with pillows and cushions, a variegated knitted afghan draped over the back. A tiny desk was at the front of the caravan and along the opposite wall, covered with papers and ledgers, a wooden box that Jack knew had to have been some sort of cash box on one end. Windows let in natural light; there was one in the wall behind the sofa, and two on the other wall, paisley-patterned curtains pulled aside to let the breeze blow through.

Behind it was a floor-length curtain, separating the living area from what must have been where the bed was. The place was cozy, looking well-lived in, and Jack got the impression that Laura didn't live there alone.

In fact, he was certain of it, if just from the comment Laura had made about her husband. The man's shirt hanging from the back of the desk's chair was another indicator, as was the longbow in the corner, one that was much too tall for Laura to use.

Jack was sure Clint would have noticed these things as well, although he was fairly distracted by Laura Carson, as she took a seat on the sofa. Clint curled up beside her, while Toshiko pulled out the desk chair to sit on, after she'd propped her own bow against the wall, next to the unknown one. Jack remained standing; while he wasn't wearing his usual plate armor, he did have on a padded armor vest over his usual blue tunic, so it would have been comfortable for him to be seated, this was unknown territory and he preferred to remain on some sort of guard.

Lucky crawled up on the sofa next to Clint, resting his head on his human's lap, looking quite content.

Laura reached over and took Clint's hand in hers. "I take it you're not here to catch up, are you." It wasn't a question; her eyes were shrewd as she watched Clint. Jack suddenly had the notion that she and Ianto would get along like a house on fire.

That may be scary, come to think of it.

Anyway.

"I'm sorry," Clint apologized, distinctly uncomfortable, "but I have some particularly bad memories of how I left, and honestly didn't want to rake them up again. But this is important, Laura, and I kinda need your help."

She gave him a sad smile. "I do understand, but you have to know we looked for you."

The Elf looked a little startled at that. It made Jack wonder, once again, just what had happened to Clint to make him leave this place, and what it had done to his psyche. The traveling show had obviously cared about him, but Clint was actually surprised that they'd tried to search for him.

"Tell me what you need," she urged, "and we'll see what can be done to help."

So, Clint explained. He told her everything: about Hydra, and Phil – leaving out the Dark One stuff, that didn't need to be repeated in an unsecured place – and how they'd been tracking the rogue Voids down until only Catherine and Ruby Hale were left. He told her about getting the word out to the other traveling shows, since they went everywhere and saw everything, and how most people didn't even pay attention to someone who worked for one. And how they were hoping that Laura wouldn't mind spreading that word, as long as they all stayed safe and out of Hydra's way.

Jack and Toshiko didn't have to add much; but then, they weren't as intimately wrapped up in the Hydra shenanigans as Clint and his family were.

Laura was nodding as he finished. "I can see why you'd come to us for help," she said. "And you don't even have to ask. I'll be glad to do whatever I can to locate the last two members of Hydra for you. We can't risk them getting to your family again."

Clint slumped. "Thanks, Laura. I don't know if I had the right to ask…"

"You had _every_ right. Clint…no matter what happened, you will always be family to me, as well. Dad cared about you. When you vanished…it hurt him that we couldn't find you. This was your home. I hope someday you'll bring your family to visit." She gave him a sunny smile. "I'd love to hear all about them."

It warmed Jack that Laura was so hospitable; he had the feeling that he was seeing something special, the coming home of a prodigal who hadn't been certain of his welcome. While he didn't know Clint all that well as yet, the immortal was aware that he hadn't had the best of lives, which made his match with Phil Coulson so perfect: each man had gone through the hells to get where they were now, at the beginning of their lives together. Now, it seemed as if Clint had even more family than the Elf had believed.

"And you?" Clint asked. "You said you have a husband now?"

She nodded. "Yes, and two wonderful children who I think would love getting to know their uncle better."

Jack noticed her reference immediately; she'd called Clint her kids' uncle. Clint had mentioned he'd had a brother, and Jack had gotten the impression that things hadn't been the best between them. They'd both come to the traveling show, but they hadn't left together and, in fact, Clint's leaving had apparently been pretty traumatic. He was willing to bet it had had something to do with that brother that the Elf doesn't really talk about.

Toshiko had stiffened in her chair as well. Trust his friend to have noticed as well, and was obviously putting her own two and two together and getting the result that Jack was. She glanced up at him, and Jack nodded, silently agreeing with her assessment of the situation.

He figured Clint could be excused from picking up on it immediately but, when he did, his eyes widened almost comically. "Laura…" he gasped.

The curtain behind the desk was parted, and a man stepped into the room. He was tall, not quite as tall as Jack but taller than Clint, and Elven, the tips of his ears poking out from under shaggy reddish-brown hair. Blue-grey eyes filled with a combination of pain, worry, and hope were staring at Clint as if he was somehow seeing a miracle.

It didn't take a genius to see the resemblance between the two Elves.

"Hey, little brother," Barney Barton greeted softly. "Long time, no see."


	4. Chapter 4

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil Coulson shook his head, smiling as he watched Wanda Maximoff lift his newest daughter, Crystal, up onto the workbench, the better for the little girl to watch what she was doing in her lesson journal.

He'd been working with Wanda only for about a week, but she was already surpassing his wildest expectations. She was bright, and willing to try any sort of spell that he was willing to show her. She also had a flair for potions that had him itching to teach her more advanced skills before she was actually ready for them. Her magic, while based in Void, was a little wild, and he could see that she was having some trouble controlling it much like Daisy had in the beginning, which meant she was a little afraid it would get out of hand and she not be able to rein it in. Phil had plans to help with that; he had a feeling that was yet another reason Pepper had done her best to convince him to take her on, after his success with Daisy.

Antoine Triplett had joined them almost right away. The young man had been the Novice to Jasper Sitwell, who'd proved to be Hydra. Phil had been more than happy to fill that spot, knowing that young man's lessons were far more advanced than Wanda's, and he'd been pleased to see that Trip's magic was a bit more subtle than other Wizards with twice the experience. Phil had no doubt that he could be showy when he wanted to…not that he did. Trip was laid back and calm, and his magic reflected that.

Both Wanda and Trip practically doted on Crystal. Phil should never have worried about them feeling threatened by her presence in their lessons, because both Novices were always explaining to the little girl what they were doing, in terms that, while she might not quite understand, Crystal would remember for the future.

Gods, his life had changed so much in such a short of time. In just a few weeks, he'd gained so much: a lover he'd thought he'd never have a chance with; a second daughter; two wonderful students; and the position of Grand Master over Void Order. Oh, all that good hadn't come without some bad as well, mostly in the shape of Hydra, but they were working on that and would soon have the last of the cabal behind bars where they belonged.

Clint was off with Jack and Toshiko, putting out the word with the traveling shows. Phil knew Clint's history, knew how much going back to Carson's was tearing him up inside, and yet he'd still been willing to face his past in order to end the threat Hydra posed to their family. After all, Hydra had tried to take Daisy twice now; there was no telling what they would do if they found out about Crystal. And there was no guarantee that the Hales wouldn't attempt to rebuild, and they really wouldn't even need to keep it within Void Order. They could easily recruit elsewhere, change their ways of operating, and move on to something far worse than what they'd planned to do with Phil himself.

As Void Champion, Phil wasn't about to let that sort of thing happen. At this moment, however, he was pretty much helpless, having to wait for information.

Still, it wasn't as if he didn't have what felt like a thousand things to do, which was the reason Clint had used to get Phil to stay home instead of coming along, like Phil had wanted to do in the first place.

There was running of Void Order, which seemed to require him to do more mediation and paperwork than he would have believed possible. His fellow Voids were usually coming to him with conflicts between themselves and others of the Order; the silliest thing he'd had to decide was a fight between two Novices over the fact that they hadn't appreciated their teaching Master giving them a set curfew, believing that should have been up to their parents. Honestly, sometimes Phil despaired of the up and coming generation, if that was what they fought about. It also made him realize just why Marcus was always grumbling about the idiots he had to deal with during his Court hours.

There was also the search for a new Head of Order for the Western Lands. Phil actually had that narrowed down to two Wizards, and was only waiting for one of them to get back to him on whether they were interested in the position. Once that was done, and he'd made the final decision, then Void Order would be fully staffed, and he could start having meetings with the various Heads of Order. Ianto had suggested it, and it made sense that Phil keep up with events around the world, the better to move with the times.

He also wanted to get started on his own project: to raise awareness of the misinformation that had been spread about Void Order, in that every single Void was evil. That lie had been what led to the creation of the Dark One, when Phil's own parents had had him wholly convinced that he was, himself, evil, when there hadn't been anything farther from the truth. It had also led to the abandonment of Crystal by the parents who should have loved her, and Phil was determined that no other children would be harmed by the illogical hatred that had spread around about his own Order. No child should have had to deal with what Crystal had; and what Phil, himself, had. As it was, there was no telling how many Void children had suffered the same fate as Crystal's elder sister, whose body had yet to be found. It broke his heart to know innocents were being harmed just because of the magic flowing through their veins.

And speaking of innocents…there was Sir James Barnes, held within a Zero Cabinet, waiting for them to break the curses that Hydra had put on him. Ianto was in charge of that, and Phil knew his friend and fellow Grand Master was simply waiting for a particular Artifact to arrive from Torchwood Castle before even _thinking_ about starting that sort of work; their plan was fairly complete, it was simply that Ianto believed having this particular Artifact would give them a better chance of success. The Wizard was in total agreement with this decision and could only do his part, in researching the various curses that needed to be picked apart…which was Ianto's specialty, but he would need all the information he could get before he even attempted that. The Cardinal Wizard was the best curse breaker alive, so Phil was going to be the back-up in that part of things, but he also knew that Ianto believed in thoroughly being prepared.

For now, however, he was going to concentrate on the young people who were depending on him to teach them what he knew. He was humbled by their confidence in his abilities to pass along the lessons he'd learned. He wished he could thank his former teaching Master, Suzie Costello, for the selfsame lessons being taught to him, even though he hadn't appreciated them at the time. Now, he did, and had made a vow to her memory to always do the best he could in imparting that wisdom to others.

Crystal's high, girlish giggle caught his attention. Trip had caught her up and was hoisting her onto his shoulders, and the little girl was laughing at his teasing her for being now taller than anyone else in the room.

"I do hope," he said dryly, hiding his own grin at Crystal's happiness, "that you're not planning on dropping my daughter."

"I'd hold on, Dad," Crystal promised, looping her thin arms around Trip's head, accidentally blocking his vision.

"I'm blind!" Trip couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up, and Phil was equally as glad that the young man was as cheerful and steady as he was. It had been hard on the Novice to lose his teaching Master, especially to treason against the Guild, but Antione Triplett was strong, and he had one of the best support systems, in both family and friends.

Wanda laughed at their antics. "This is not how I thought the lesson would go today."

Neither had Phil, but he wasn't about to chastise them for having fun. Besides, sometimes a little laughter made for stronger learning. "If you're quite finished manhandling him, Crystal, we do need to go over the lesson for today." He made certain that his tone was light; the last thing he needed would be to upset her. She still had a tendency to withdraw if she thought she'd done something bad, and Phil didn't want to risk traumatizing her any more than she already had been. As it was, Crystal was coming out of her shell, with the certainty that she had a home and a family that wouldn't toss her out like refuse at the smallest infraction.

"Okay, Dad." Crystal let Trip loose, and the young man promptly swung her off his shoulders and sat her back on the workbench. She sat there, swinging her legs, and Trip stood beside her in case she fell. Phil appreciated that. "I think I want to go back upstairs now, because Lockjaw misses me. Is that okay?"

He smiled at her. "That's perfectly fine, sweetheart." None of the dragons would come down into the casting chamber, preferring to stay up in the main areas of the Keep, where they would inevitably be in one of their cuddle piles. Besides, Lola, who'd decided that she was the mother figure of all the dragons who came to Shield Keep, knew that their Wizards wouldn't want to be distracted by dragon antics. She also wasn't fond of the smell of the potions Phil was prone to concocting, and didn't make a secret of that fact. "Trip, would you mind taking Crystal up to Melinda?"

"Be glad to." He smiled at the little girl, then hoisted her back up on his shoulders. "Your carriage is ready, Your Highness."

Crystal giggled again. "I promise not to blind you this time."

Trip laughed and, with a single knee bend that had her squealing, he was heading out of the casting chamber, closing the door to the stairs behind him. It was something that Phil had always insisted on, that whenever someone left the door would be closed, and he was gratified to know that it wasn't something that had been forgotten.

He decided this was the opportunity he'd been looking for, and said, "While Trip is busy with Crystal, there's something I need to show you."

The young woman was curious, but he could also tell she was a little worried. "Oh?"

Phil smiled at her, wanting to dispel that worry. "Yes. I have something for you." He made his way toward the cabinet that was on the other side of the room. It held most of his supplies, and the objects that he would often use to enchant into Artifacts. It was a tall, wooden monstrosity that had been in one of the upstairs rooms when he'd taken over Shield Keep, and had had it moved down into his casting chamber almost from the moment the chamber had been completed.

On the second to the top shelf, was where he'd put the box.

It was of beautifully carved redwood. The box had once belonged to an ancient Wizard and had been found in a hoard of magical items during his travels as the Dark One. When he'd found a home in Barony Triskelia, he had cleared out most of his own hoards, bringing the trinkets and Artifacts back to Shield Keep from the various hidden places he'd designated as hidey holes all over the Western Lands. There were still a couple he hadn't retrieved, but he wasn't in a hurry. He'd collect the rest of them some day. Maybe he'd ask Clint to accompany him.

He really was wishing he hadn't let Clint talk him out of going with him to the traveling show. Maybe he should have insisted.

He absently caressed the plain silver band on his left hand, the magic enchanted into it pleasant against the skin of his finger. That ring held more promise than he'd ever expected to have from anyone…the promise of a future beyond the lives of his loved ones, a piece of Clint that he could carry with him long after his lover was gone; a child of their own, created from their love and the magic spells contained in that single circle of metal, and who would have family of their own that he could dote over down through the ages.

Clint had worn it, but had taken it off because it bothered him when shooting. Phil had decided to wear it, and it had easily adjusted magically to his finger as if it had belonged there. The smile that Clint had given him would have lit up complete darkness, at seeing that ring on Phil's finger.

He reached into the cabinet, lifting out the box, the Protection magic within it tingling against his palms gently, almost like a caress. With Wanda looking on, he held it out to her, offering it to her, smiling when her eyes widened. "For me?" she asked breathlessly.

"What's in it, yes. Go on…open it," he encouraged her.

Fingers trembling slightly, Wanda carefully pushed open the box's ornately carved lid. Inside, was Phil's gift to Wanda.

The metal of the bracers was a wine-red in color, as close to the young Wizard's signature shade as he could get with the enchantments he had on hand. The leather straps that would hold the bracers in place on Wanda's forearms were also dyed, and charmed with Strength and Protection spells. Each entire piece was also primed with the special magicks he'd created years ago, when faced with another young woman with control issues.

Wanda's eyes were wide with surprise. "Are they…?"

"They're like Daisy's," he answered. "You have some of the same basic control issues that she had starting out, and she greatly benefited from having them when stressed or otherwise unable to hold onto that control. I'm sure she's told you the story of how she took down the side of a mountain once?"

"She did." Wanda was touching the bracers reverently, as if she couldn't believe she was being given such a gift.

"These will work like that, only coded to your specific magicks. I know they look different from Daisy's; hers really are a slightly more primitive design, but then they were my first attempt at that sort of thing. I know Pepper took the general idea of them and ran with it, and her tweaks are completely different, but I also like to think I've refined the protections in them with these."

She looked to be on the verge of tears. "I…do not know what to say…"

Phil gave her a little grin. "I believe 'thank you' is traditional in these circumstances."

"Thank you." Wanda simply stared at them, and then she laughed. "Pietro will be so jealous."

"I'm sure if he was having the same control issues that you do, Ianto would be more than happy to get him his own set." He lifted the box a little higher. "Try them on. I want to see if I got the fit right."

Wanda lifted one of the gauntlets out of the box, slipping it onto her arm; then she did the same with the other. "They feel…" her voice was filled with marvel. "Before, my magic was as if it was pushing against my skin, trying to get out. There were times when I held onto control by sheer force of will. But now…it's quiet. Almost as if it is now sleeping."

Phil nodded, pleased. "Yes, that's what I was aiming for. Magic, when it's under proper control, is like that…like it's resting, just waiting for you to call on it. It's a part of you; however, it should never be that overpowering. Of course, there are times when a loss of control is a good thing, but not like what you've been experiencing. Here, let me check something."

Wanda held out her arms, and Phil hovered his fingers over the metal, letting his own power 'feel' the spells that he'd entwined within the bracers. Yes, they were all properly working, settling Wanda's chaotic magic into a more manageable level.

"How do they feel?" he murmured, using his magical sight in order to scan the interlocking charms. They lay like the most delicate of webs, imbedded within the bracers, and yet were strong as steel. He had to admit, he'd done an elegant piece of work on them. "Are they fitting on your arms alright?" The last thing he wanted was for her to be uncomfortable while wearing them.

"The left is pinching a little," Wanda admitted, holding that arm out a little further and turning her wrist upward, the better for him to see the underside, where they fastened together.

Phil immediately saw the problem; one of the buckles on that side was a little off center. With a flick of his power, he molded the brass of the buckle into a more comfortable shape. "How's that?"

"Perfect." She gave him a dazzling smile. "Grand Master, you have already done so much for me, by saving us back in Buda-Pest, and by agreeing to teach me. I do not know how to honestly thank you."

Phil's chest warmed with her gratitude. "There's really no need, Wanda. As your teaching Master, it's my duty to help you learn about your magic. And, as someone who has seen what a loss of control can cause, I will always do whatever is within my power to keep that from happening. You need be comfortable, Wanda, and not always worried that your power may strike out just because you're stressed. I saw that myself, back when you gave evidence in front of the Quorum – you were very close to losing control then, weren't you?"

"I was. Because they threatened you, Grand Master. Both Pietro and I knew that you had saved us and the others from King Wolfgang, and there was no way either of us was going to stand by and let them attack you. We owe you so much, and even more now that you have welcomed us into your family the way you have. You might not be teaching Pietro, but he feels the bonds we have made with you, and Daisy, in just the short time we have known each other." She looked embarrassed. "We thought we would never be able to repay you before…now, that debt is insurmountable."

"Wanda," he said gently, "you and Pietro don't owe me anything." He felt equally embarrassed. After all, it had been the Dark One who'd done all that, not Phil Coulson. Yes, it could be argued that they were the same person, but the really weren't. He would have done the same thing if he, as Phil Coulson, would have discovered what Wolfgang von Strucker had been doing, but it would have been with a lot less loss of life than what had actually occurred.

He would never be ashamed of what he and the others had done in Buda-Pest. However, he understood that it could have been accomplished in other ways than to raze an entire city to the ground.

"We shall beg to differ on that, Grand Master." She gave him a sweet smile. "Now, I am quite certain that Trip is hovering in the doorway, waiting for our moment to be over and barely keeping himself from vomiting at the rampant emotions."

Phil had sensed Trip's return; his Void presence was quite unique, as it was for every single Void Wizard. He turned, and indeed Trip was literally hovering in the doorway, looking vaguely uncomfortable.

"Hey," he exclaimed, "that is not what is happening here. Yes, I'm hovering, but I'm not about to be sick. In fact," he put on a cocky grin, "that was really sweet. You got the adoption paperwork already written up, Grand Master?"

Phil rolled his eyes fondly. "I'm quite sure Wanda's parents and brother would object to that sort of thing. Randomly adopting people isn't the way to endear myself to anyone." The first thing he'd done on officially accepting Wanda as his Novice was to write to her parents in Sokovia. The letter he'd gotten in response had made it obvious that Wanda had already told her parents about it, and about just who he was. He might have been uncomfortable by that fact, if it wasn't for the fact that the Maximoffs had just sounded so very _grateful_.

Trip snorted. "Pretty much you've done that unofficially with all of us, Sir."

He may have had a point. Phil adored every one of Daisy's friends, although he wasn't so sure that he was the one doing the unofficial adopting. As a matter of fact, he was pretty certain they'd all adopted _him_.

"Now, I think we need to get back to work," he changed the subject. "Wanda, let's see the spell diagram you were working on."

She looked a little nervous, but she led them back to the workbench where her journal was open on the work surface. Phil had set her to diagramming a basic Sleep spell. When he'd read her academic transcripts, he'd noticed that her written work sometimes suffered from tiny mistakes, and Phil was determined to get that up to snuff before anything else.

Whereas, Trip had proved to be quite adept at written spells, and he was going to test him with Wanda's diagrams. He was curious to see if he would catch any mistakes.

Immediately, Phil could see some of the runes were just slightly off; otherwise, the diagram had everything needed to perform the spell. "Trip, can you tell me if this looks alright?"

The older Novice leaned over the page, frowning slightly. "The second rune…the leg of the _oras_ should be longer." He proceeded to point out a couple of other issues, Wanda making the corrections as he showed her.

Phil nodded in approval. "Very good. There's one other problem that you didn't notice."

Trip took another long look at the spell, his confusion suddenly clearing as he saw what Phil had. "The _subara_ is reversed. It's hard to see, because the rune looks pretty much the same in either direction."

"Exactly. Well done."

Trip looked pleased, while Wanda was frustrated. "I should have caught that," she groused, making the correction.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," the elder Wizard told her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Now, how about you do the final enchantment on the spell? Let's see your practical work."

Wanda placed her fingertips on the diagram, muttering the words of the spell under her breath, yet loud enough that Phil could hear the soft cadences of the magical words, the better for him to check her pronunciation. Her Sokovian accent made the syllables almost musical, pleasant to the ear.

As Phil watched, the lines on the paper began to glow softly and evenly, proving that the spell had been written correctly, the swirl of Void within the magic marking it as her own, the scent of lavender faint and sweet in the air. He smiled, very pleased with her work. "Excellent, Wanda. Make sure that gets into your personal _gramariya_. I think that spell will be a good piece of utility magic for you in the future."

Her pale face flushed in pleasure. "Thank _you_, Grand Master." She turned to her fellow Novice. "And thank you, Trip, for pointing out my mistakes."

"Hey," Trip said, "no need to thank me, girl. You got this, you just need a little learning, that's all. If you ever need help with the runes, let me know. I'm more than happy to tutor you."

The smile she gave him was effervescent, her dark eyes shining. It suddenly occurred to Phil that he might be seeing a crush developing, and he hid the smile that resulted from that knowledge. He wouldn't say anything, because if he knew Daisy would notice pretty quickly if there was something growing there. Trip was a mature young man, and would do the right thing if Wanda approached him…which would be to wait, even if he was interested as well. While there was only a three-year age difference between the two, it was a very large three years when one of them was fourteen and the other seventeen.

Phil also wondered if Trip was advanced enough to be his teaching assistant, even though Phil wasn't interested in teaching full-time. He'd have to ask Pepper what she usually looked for in one; the Wizard knew for a fact that she had at least one, but then she also instructed a couple of classes at the Wizard School as well. He also knew that Pepper wanted to ask Daisy to teach, as soon as his daughter felt comfortable with the idea. Right now, Daisy was just a little too uncertain because of her magical power levels and still relied a little too much on her gauntlets at this time, although both Phil and Pepper would see the time when she wouldn't need to anymore. Even now, she mostly wore them for show, because she liked the look. But there were still moments when Phil could tell she was worried that she'd lose control.

He didn't blame her, but he really couldn't relate. His control had always been exemplary, even back in the days of being the Dark One; his course of destruction had been under his command, and his magic had never gone beyond what he'd demanded of it. Even now, when he really had no idea what the extent of his power levels were anymore, he was in control in a majority of circumstances… except when the Void decided to step in. And, he could always still control it when it chose to burst forth on its own like that.

Still, the very idea of completely losing control was frightening. He could see that fear in his own daughter, and now in Wanda. Phil would do everything in his power to make them feel safe.

He felt a small ping on his magical senses. "Someone's calling my mirror."

Trip made a waving motion. "Go on, I can show Wanda some more of the weirder runes she might come across. Especially those in Invisibility spells." He turned to Wanda. "Girl, those runes are _wicked_. I have no idea who came up with them, but they really needed to be cursed with their own crazy spell."

Phil laughed, because Trip wasn't wrong. Wizard runes were supposed to be a shortcut in spellcasting, making it easier to use written spells, but sometimes he seriously wondered just what the ancient Wizards had been _thinking _when they'd come up with a lot of them.

Maybe they had some really good mind-altering substances back then. Maybe he should ask Jack; the Deathless might know.

"You do that," he gave permission, "and I'll go and see who wants my attention. Try not to blow anything up while I'm gone."

"No promises," Wanda teased.

Shaking his head ruefully, Phil left the pair alone in his casting chamber, trusting them to not create too much chaos while he was gone. He wasn't worried; the chamber was warded against most sorts of havoc, a holdover from when he and Daisy would practice her spellcasting, the lessons she'd been given before she'd been taken on by Pepper, whose casting chamber could handle just as much havoc as Phil's own could. Hells, he'd given her a couple of wards that Pepper had been more than willing to use, back in the days when Daisy had been prone to temper tantrums when she didn't get correct something she was being shown, which would cause her magic to go out of control, even with the gauntlets…only the gauntlets would mitigate a lot of the damage that would have normally resulted.

Taking the stairs up to the main areas of the Keep, and then to his quarters, Phil made a mental note to either move his mirror, or to make a couple more: one for the casting chamber, since he was apparently going to be spending a bit of time there with Wanda and Trip; and one for the main levels of the Keep, perhaps the first-floor sitting room. At least he could hover his way up to his room from the main floor, but the wards around the casting chamber meant he couldn't just float up the stairs there.

Of course, having to make the trip kept him in shape, but the Wizard didn't think that would be an issue, not with the rather vigorous sex he and Clint got up to, as well as running after Crystal when Nick gave her too much sugar.

He was also glad that he'd made the bed that morning, although with Clint gone there hadn't been any morning lovemaking to mess things up too badly. Melinda had already made rather pointed comments about the laundry bill ever since Clint had come to stay.

It had been obvious teasing. It still made Phil blush just a bit.

The mirror had gone cloudy and, with a wave of his hand, Phil cleared it to reveal Ianto in the glass, the Cardinal Wizard smiling as he greeted Phil. _"I hope I didn't interrupt anything."_

Phil barely managed to keep his eyes from rolling. "It's not like you don't know Clint isn't here. Although, I _was_ in the midst of a lesson with Wanda and Trip." He cocked his head. "And shouldn't you be working with Pietro?" He was smiling, in order to blunt any sort of censure his words might sound like.

Ianto didn't take any sort of offence, only snorting. _"Pietro is currently working on his wand work. He has a problem with making his gestures too fast. He's caused some rather interesting explosions because of it, and I felt that exiting the casting chamber would be conducive to my physical wellbeing."_

He had to laugh. "I started Wanda out on Wizard runes. No explosions so far." Novices had several years of study before being chosen, but the classes were mostly for-rote studies. One-on-one would bring out the weaknesses and the strengths of the Novices involved. "I'm assuming you're not contacting me in order to complain about having to repair the wards that Pietro may damage with his excessive wand gestures."

_"__And you would assume correctly." _Ianto looked pleased. _"Torchwood Castle has finally sent the Artifact I was requesting. We can start on Sir James' arm tomorrow."_


	5. Chapter 5

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Sir Steve Rogers, who'd once been the Paladin of the Western Lands, was finding the future to be not all that different from his own time.

Yes, there were things that they hadn't had three hundred years ago…like magic, and dragons, and the politics were _insane_. Steve had had a dose of politics back in the day, mostly because of all that Paladin mess, and Howard Stark had been the King of Propaganda, but that was nothing on what Baron Nick had to deal with on a daily basis. Steve, as the Baron's newest Knights' Commander, had been a witness to the crap that his boss had to handle every single day. It was not pretty, and there were times when Steve was shocked that Baron Nick managed to hold his temper in public as well as he did.

In private, though, Steve had heard the ranting. He'd just looked at Mistress Maria, Triskelia's newly appointed Court Wizard, and had echoed her shrug. When they were alone, the Great Wizard had bemoaned the fact that she'd given up her position as Head of Great Order for the Western Lands for this shit, and why had she done something like that?

From what he's heard, Baron Nick had proposed to Mistress Maria, and she'd accepted…which was why she'd left her job in the Wizard's Guild in order to spend her time in Barony Triskelia. Steve thought they made an interesting couple. Both were strong personalities and he could see clashes in the future, but he also got the impression that they were just the sort of couple who actually enjoyed a bit of strife in their relationship.

The surprise, though, had been the Baron's Steward, Sharon Carter.

She was one of the very few in Triskelia who was the closest to guessing who he really was. It hadn't even been two days, just enough for him to get settled into his rooms at the castle, Stewart Sharon had approached him and let him know that she was a direct descendant of Lady Peggy Carter, and asking if he was some sort of descendent from the fabled Paladin. Steve had discovered that Peg had kept her name, even though she'd eventually married – a man named Daniel Souza, a veteran of what was now called the Century War – and had had a rather large family. Steve was happy for her because, as much as he'd loved her and wanted to marry her, he'd come to realize that he would not have been happy with her, burdened by the guilt of losing Bucky the way he had been. That didn't even figure his feelings toward his best friend into the equation.

Perhaps it had been the best thing for all concerned that he'd been exiled into the Void. It seemed everything turned out well in the end.

There was even Bucky, still alive.

It seemed like a miracle. Steve had seen Bucky fall to his death; there should have been no way he could have survived. And yet, he had, in Hydra's hands, and they'd made him their puppet, the assassin known as the Winter Knight. As furious as Steve was that his best friend – and the man he loved – had been treated so horrifically, he was also pitifully grateful that Bucky was still alive, and could possibly be cured.

He had faith in the Wizards who were doing their best to figure out how to remove the curses that had been affecting him for so long.

All three seemed to be good men, the Grand Masters. Stephen Strange of Great Order was the one Steve hadn't really gotten to know all that well, but even he could tell that the Grand Master was powerful and confident, and would do what he could to save Bucky in any way he could.

Grand Master Ianto Jones of Cardinal Order was undeniably kind. Steve had seen it when they'd confronted the man over Bucky's survival. He'd done the best for Bucky, letting him decide whether to see Steve or not. Yes, it had hurt that his best friend hadn't want to, but Steve could understand it. Bucky honestly didn't remember who he was, and it was good that he had such a fierce protector who was only willing to do what was in Bucky's best interests, no matter what those interests ended up being. He was also the one that Steve knew rested most of the hope of breaking the curses that were controlling Bucky; everyone kept claiming that Ianto was the best curse-breaker in the world. The former Paladin was willing to believe it, having seen the work he'd already put in on preparing for what had to happen next. Ianto had also been willing to accept Steve's input into the actual plan, for which Steve was very grateful.

That left Grand Master Phil Coulson of Void Order.

Steve had a lot of feelings toward Grand Master Phil. He'd been the one to pull Steve from the Void, and to help him recover from this entrapment. He'd also encountered Bucky as the Winter Knight, back when they'd first found out that Hydra was still around, in the form of a cabal of Void Wizards who wanted more power than they'd already had. From what he'd been told, those Void Wizards had actually killed the Wizard, but the Void had brought him back as its Champion.

Steve didn't understand that part. Or the part where Ianto was the Cardinal counterpart for Phil. It was magic and, while he'd mostly been able to accept that magic was real, Steve just didn't get what all that meant. He figured he would have had to be a Wizard himself to figure it out.

It had been Phil's daughter, Daisy, and her friends who'd found the original scroll detailing the magical construction on the arm that had been grafted to Bucky's shoulder. When he'd met her and her friends, he'd been impressed by those young people. If those were the future of this world, then he thought it would be in excellent hands.

However, there was something about Phil Coulson that Steve couldn't put his finger on.

He'd gotten hints of a past that hadn't been exactly up and up. Steve knew that everyone had things they'd done that they weren't proud of – hells, look at his own past for prime examples of that – but this…this just seemed extreme. No one was talking about it, at least not in front of him, and Steve had to admit he was curious about it. Those around him seemed to be very much aware of what that was, and he suspected it had something with how he'd come to adopt Daisy, although he couldn't have said why he believed that. He was also very certain that Baron Nick was somehow involved, since he and Phil were such good friends.

He also thought Mistress Maria didn't approve, but wasn't going to say anything against the Void Grand Master. It was as if he was on the outside of some conspiracy surrounding Phil Coulson.

Steve wanted to ask. But he didn't dare. For one, he respected Phil way too much to go prying. And two, he doubted very much that he'd get any sort of answer from anyone in the know.

That didn't mean he wasn't curious. It just meant that he wouldn't go looking for answers. He'd trust that he'd be told if and when it became necessary for him to be made aware. And he had to trust the Grand Master when it came to Bucky. He just had this feeling that, if he knew, that could very well change.

He couldn't say why that was.

Sighing, Steve turned his attention back to the Court goings' on. Truth be told, he was just as bored as Baron Nick seemed to be, despite his admirable poker face. He was standing at the left of the throne-like chair that the Baron was seated in; on the other side, Mistress Maria also stood, looking almost severe in her deep blue robes, her dragon at her feet.

Steve had been introduced to the Court the same week he'd reported for duty, bringing Sam along with him. Sam had insisted, saying that Steve wasn't nearly as acclimated to the future as he should have been, and leaving himself available at any time Steve needed to vent. He'd done it a couple of times now, and Sam had been invaluable in helping him work through it. He was so very grateful for his friend, for seeing him through.

Gabe had done the same, although he hadn't come along. Baron Nick had invited the older Elf, but Gabe had refused, saying that he was, "Retired from those sorts of shenanigans and didn't want to be dragged into Court intrigue." That didn't stop him from visiting, using a Teleport Artifact that he'd been given by Pepper for just such occasions. Gabe usually showed up about twice a week, for dinner and to brag on just how well his many-times great-grandson, Trip, was doing under Phil's tutelage. Gabe was very proud of Trip, and wasn't afraid to share his pride with anyone who would listen.

Apparently it was a very big deal to be the Novice of one of the current Grand Masters. Gabe genuinely liked Phil, and was getting to know the Grand Master, even having his own dinner with the man once in order to discuss Trip's situation. From what his old friend had said, both Trip's original teaching Master and the second one who'd taken him on had both been Hydra, and Gabe had been concerned about his great-grandson's reactions to that. Sam had offered to speak to him about it, but Trip had claimed that he'd been talking to Andrew Gardner, who worked for Phil and who had been one of Sam's instructors at university.

He was dragged out of his reverie by Baron Nick, who was seeming to finally get tired of the argument playing out at the base of the raised dais where the Baron was seated. "Gentlemen," he cut across the torrent of words that both men, one whom had claimed that the other had swindled a plot of land from him, "this has gone on long enough. Now, as I see it, that land was never meant to be sold in the first place –"

The Baron went on to untangle the mess, which Steve understood was just a mistake on the seller's part, the man believing that he'd owned the plot outright and had had every right to sell it; however, the former Paladin wasn't sure how Baron Nick had managed to get that from the double cases of verbal diarrhea that had been vomited up by both parties.

In the short time he'd been serving as Knights' Commander, Steve had seen the Baron handle such things with a brisk efficiency that only made Steve respect the man more. Yes, there were times when he didn't exactly agree with what the Baron had decided, but it all seemed to work out in the end.

And he was pretty sure Baron Nick had secrets he wasn't sharing.

Well, that shouldn't be all that surprising.

Movement at the back of the room caught Steve's attention. Coming to stand just inside of the open double doors was Grand Master Phil Coulson, his daughter Crystal in his arms, their dragons at their feet. Phil was dressed casually, in a dark blue tunic and trousers, so this visit couldn't be for Court or Wizard business; besides, he wouldn't have brought Crystal with him if that was the case. The little girl had her head leaning on his shoulder, looking as if she wanted to hide but was too curious to do it, wearing a bright yellow dress that brought more attention to her odd, two-toned hair.

Steve found himself gaining a little buzz of excitement at the Grand Master's appearance. Could this be something about Bucky? Or did he have other news to impart?

The Baron must have noticed because, after unravelling that particular mess, he called the Court closed for the day, which was a relief, since he really wanted to know why Phil was there. Steve had been told that he wasn't required to be there every day, but he felt it was his duty. The Barony was paying him, after all, and he wanted to do the best job he possibly could. If that meant standing around looking imposing while feeling incredibly bored, well, he could do that. His job was protecting the Baron and the Barony, and for him that meant being there whenever the seated Baron was exposed to the public, as it were.

Not that he didn't think Baron Nick couldn't protect himself. The sword he wore wasn't for show; it was a well-cared for weapon, one that had seen a lot of use. And, if what he'd heard was true, then the current Baron had used it to take over from the former Baron who, by all rights, was an evil and lazy asshole who'd tried to bleed every bit of money out of the people that he could, in order to line his own coffers. One of the servants had confided in him that, as soon as he'd taken over, Baron Nick had taken it upon himself to reimburse the citizens as much as he could from those self-same coffers, what the previous Baron had stolen. He'd only kept what the Barony would have taken in fair taxes.

Yes, this was a man Steve could very easily work for.

The other was moving out of the room, after giving a slight nod toward the Baron and carrying a child who had been through too much already in her short life.

Once Steward Sharon had closed the doors, the three of them headed out themselves, toward the door at the back of the Court that would take them into the residential areas of Triskelia Castle. Steve liked the back ways and hidden passages, and had thoroughly explored them in his first week as Knight's Commander, ostensibly to learn all of the ways in and out of the castle for security reasons. Well, that had been true, but it had also been sheer curiosity and delight in discovery that had had Steve trekking through dusty, narrow passageways and dark cubbyholes, using his artistic skills to map everything for future reference.

Phil and Crystal were waiting in the Baron's sitting room, the Grand Master seated on the couch with his daughter in his lap, the dragons curled together on the hearth. Iliad, after a glance at his mistress, joined the other two, who made room for him. The idea that dragons were always cuddling each other was frankly adorable, Steve thought.

"Phil," Baron Nick greeted, shrugging out of his formal over-robe. "Give me a moment while I get out of all this crap finery. I swear, if I'd known I'd have to wear this sort of thing I never would've kicked the old Baron out."

Steve knew he was censoring himself because, only after about a day of working for the man, he'd come to realize that the Baron was a lot more profane than that. If Crystal hadn't been in the room, that sentence would have been a lot dirtier than it came out.

"Hi, Uncle Nick," Crystal chirped, waving.

The soppiest expression ever came across the Baron's normally stern face. "Hi, Miss Crystal." He made a detour, pressing a kiss to the little girl's forehead, then withdrew to his bedroom.

Mistress Maria was smirking from where she was seated in a chair by the window. "I had no idea he'd practically melt when a little kid was in the room."

Phil snorted. "He was worse with Daisy."

"How is that possible?" she asked, disbelievingly.

Steve had got the distinct impression that Phil and Mistress Maria really didn't get along, and he figured it had to do with Wizard politics. No one had actually said anything to him, but the former Paladin had heard about the rift between the Voids and some of the Greats, and had worked it out that Mistress Maria was one of those Greats who didn't care for Voids or Cardinals. Although he suspected that attitude was thawing. Something must have occurred to have changed her mind, and he thought it boded well for Phil's crusade to fight against the prejudice.

This time, Phil smirked. "Just don't call him adorable. He hates that."

"D-darned right, I do." The Baron reemerged from the bedroom, down to his tunic and trousers, and censoring himself again, because Steve was absolutely certain he hadn't meant to say 'darned'. "Men aren't adorable."

"Keep telling yourself that, Nick," Mistress Maria laughed.

Once Nick was sitting, Crystal climbed off her father's lap and made a beeline straight for the Baron, who picked her up the moment she got to him and settled her on his own knee. She leaned into him trustfully, and honestly…it _was_ adorable. There was no getting around that.

"Steward Sharon is bringing hot chocolate and snacks," Phil reported. "I asked her if she'd mind when I ran into her out in the hall."

"I could use something to drink after that…stuff." Another case of the Baron not using the more colorful term. Steve was finding it really hilarious, and it was all he could do not to laugh out loud.

He also knew that Baron Nick didn't drink hot chocolate after Court. It was usually something much stronger. He'd said it was because he had to deal with idiots, and alcohol made the whole thing bearable. It didn't hurt that he had excellent taste in wines.

"Crystal," Phil chided her quietly, "say hello to Mistress Maria and Sir Steve."

The child bit her lip in embarrassment. "Hi, Mistress Maria and Sir Steve."

Steve couldn't help the smile. "Hello, Miss Crystal. How have you been?"

That earned him a smile of her own, and she bounced a little on Baron Nick's lap. "Dad is teaching me my magic! He's also teaching Wanda and Trip, and they're both so nice. I think Wanda really likes Trip, and they're gonna be best friends, I just know it!"

From Phil's expression, it was a little more complicated than that, although he was mostly amused by her exclamation. Steve would have bet it was some sort of teenaged crush, most likely on Wanda's part, because Trip was Gabe's great-grandson and had inherited the Elf's sense of honor, if not any of his Elven features.

From Mistress Maria's face, she was thinking the word, 'adorable' quite loudly.

"So," the Baron drawled, staring at Phil knowingly, "I'm pretty certain you're not here just for a visit, Phil. So, spill. What's going on?"

"Actually, I'm here for Steve." Those blue eyes, with their flecks of black in them, turned toward where Steve was seated.

His heartbeat suddenly thundering in his ears, Steve whispered, "Bucky?" Please, let it be about Bucky…

The Grand Master nodded. "Ianto has the final piece we need to attempt the curse breaking. We're going to start tomorrow."


	6. Chapter 6

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint stared at the man who'd come out of the sleeping area of the caravan, his heart pounding and his head swimming with a terrible combination of agony, rage, and love.

"Barney." It was near-silent, him speaking that name, because his strength was all tied up in not either throttling his brother, or hugging the stuffing out of him.

He was rather afraid the throttling part would win out. Not that Barney wouldn't have deserved that, in Clint's honest opinion.

Lucky jerked up and off the couch. The dragon's weight had also been holding him down, and now that it was gone, Clint was on his feet, his knees weak and threatening to put him right back onto the cushions.

Or the floor, whichever one worked best for him in that moment.

Barney hadn't changed a bit. Oh, his hair was a bit shorter and his eyes a little softer, but he was still the same as he'd been the last time Clint had seen him…over twenty years ago, when Barney had left him dead in a ditch in Barony Phoenix, when Clint had caught him and others stealing from Old Man Carson.

And, there he was, standing in Laura's wagon…and married to the woman _he'd_ once had a crush on, so many years ago the memories were _more_ fond than anything else

Lucky hissed. It broke the spell everyone seemed to have fallen under.

Barney took a step back as Lucky jumped in front of Clint, mantling his wings and hissing once more. His eyes were wide in surprise, but he wasn't afraid; in fact, he seemed more resigned than anything else, as if he was perfectly willing to accept whatever the dragon chose to dish out in revenge for hurting his human.

Clint dropped a hand to Lucky's head, and the dragon calmed, his own furious emotions no longer mixing with the Elf's and making things worse. Still, Clint's were bad enough at this point.

He was standing there, staring at his brother, who had become one of the many demons in Clint's life. A demon he'd thought he'd never see again.

"Hey, Clint." Barney sounded the same as well, like the voice he'd often heard in his nightmares, taunting him with his failures and mistakes.

He suddenly knew he couldn't take being in the same room with his brother.

Clint took a step back, stumbling a little in his haste to get the hells out of that caravan. Laura stood as well, her face concerned and sad, her hand out to him, touching his arm. He shrugged her off, taking more steps backward without looking where he was going, knowing without seeing that Jack was moving out of his way, that Toshiko had also stood from where she'd been seated, her own face quizzical and worried at the same time.

He was grateful to them for not stopping him as he fled, grabbing his bow from where he'd rested it against the arm of the couch, Lucky trailing behind him, the dragon giving one final hiss at the room before passing over the wagon's threshold.

Clint didn't look where he was going, he just knew he had to get away from Barney, from the memories and the terror of being left behind by the only person who _should_ have loved him, should have taken care of him when no one else would, yet who had followed a man who'd willingly stolen from the one person who'd taken them in after they'd run away from that horrible orphanage.

And Barney was now married to Laura? Who was the daughter of the man he'd stolen from?

How was that even _possible_?

Didn't Laura know what Barney was? Or had his brother played her, conned her into marrying him and having a family with him?

But what would be the point of that?

The sounds of the traveling show washed over him, and he ignored them in favor of his roiling thoughts. There wasn't a single scenario he could come up with that would explain why Laura would marry Barney if she'd known what he'd done to her father, to Clint himself. Laura was a good person, one who'd treated Clint like the brother Barney should have done, yet hadn't for some reason Clint didn't know. Barney had ceased being his brother long before the events of that fateful night in Barony Phoenix, drawing away from Clint and closer to the darker side of traveling shows, and it wouldn't have been surprising for him to learn that Barney had gone the way of the Night Travelers.

But he hadn't. He'd come back here, the place where he would have burned every single bridge he'd had, and married Laura Carson.

It didn't make sense.

Maybe he should have stayed for an explanation, but there had been no way he could have been in the same room with Barney, not after that shock. Maybe there was a perfectly good explanation for what had happened, but at that moment Clint didn't think he would have been able to process it.

No, leaving had been the best thing to do. It felt a lot like running away, but there were times with running was the very best thing a person could do.

In that spot in his mind where Lucky lived now, he could sense the dragon's upset and anger, but it was slowly calming, and that allowed Clint to calm down as well. He needed to regain control before going back…and yes, he would be going back, because he needed to know what had happened to cause Laura to marry the man who'd left Clint for dead. There _had_ to be an explanation, one that Clint could accept, could live with.

Or else he didn't know what he would do.

His aimless ramblings had taken him out to the camp's perimeter, toward what looked to be the practice fields for the various acts. There was a troupe of acrobats tumbling about each other, their movements graceful as they laughed in sheer joy in their routine.

Another group had set up a high wire…only this one was about three feet off the ground, where they could safely practice their act without the threat of injury. Clint had once trained on the wire, and had been fairly good at it, but then he'd had the advantage of his natural Elven grace. It had almost been like cheating.

And it seemed as if Laura had a new sharpshooter act, as well.

It was a young woman, human, with long black hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She was wearing a purple, sleeveless tunic, black leggings, and darkened sailor's spectacles, protecting her eyes from the bright sunlight that streamed from a cloudless sky. Her form was steady as she drew back the longbow, sighted, and then let fly, the arrow imbedding itself perfectly in the center of the target.

He couldn't help but be impressed.

"Well done," he congratulated her. After all, he could appreciate that sort of skill. And, if she was this good at this age, he could only imagine what she'd be like with a bit more maturity.

The girl spun, dropping her arm and glaring through her dark spectacles. "Who the hells are you?" she demanded, her irritation clear.

Which Clint could understand; back when he was the main act at the show, he'd have been pissed off if someone had interrupted his practice time.

He held up his hands and introduced himself. "Clint Barton. And this is Lucky." The dragon chirped at her in greeting.

The archer's expression turned curious. "Related to the boss' husband, then? Laura never said you were a Wizard."

A pang stabbed him right in the heart at that reminder. "Yeah. My brother." He didn't respond to the Wizard comment.

"You look like him."

"I hope you don't mean that as, all Elves look alike."

He was pretty sure her eyes were rolling behind her spectacles. "My eyesight is better than that."

It would have to be, since she was just that good. "It's nice to know Laura's got herself a decent sharpshooter now."

"Decent?" she was outraged. "I'm the best!"

Clint didn't say a thing. Instead, he brought his own bow from where he'd looped it over his shoulder, set an arrow to the string and, with only a glance toward the target, he let his projectile fly.

His arrow went right where he'd wanted it to.

It split the young woman's own.

"Well, shit," she shook her head. She didn't seem bothered by the fact that he'd just outshot her, which was a good thing. "I've been trying to figure that out for weeks now, but I just can't get the aim quite right. And you did it almost without looking." She held out her hand – the one not holding her bow – for a handshake. "Kate Bishop. Hawkeye."

Something about that name rang a bell, but Clint let it slide for now since it wasn't coming readily to mind. Besides, she'd managed to adopt his stage name. "Nice to meet you, Hawkeye. I'm also Hawkeye. Or, I was." That had been when he'd been younger and more naïve. Now, he was simply the Hawk, former mercenary with a kill list as long as the road from Triskelia to New Andrade…and beyond, really.

Well, not so much anymore. Now, he was content to be known as Clint Barton, lover of Phil Coulson and father to Daisy and Crystal. That was plenty enough for him.

That seemed to startle her, which surprised Clint a little. After all, those who would've remembered him being in the traveling show would have had to have mentioned that Clint Barton and Hawkeye, the World's Greatest Marksman, were one and the same. "Damn, you're a legend." Then her smile turned cocky. "Not for much longer, though. And I'm doing it without magic."

Clint had to laugh at that. "I don't have to use magic to be awesome. But you're overconfident, aren't you," he teased her. Although, to be honest, if she kept up the way she was going it would happen at some point. He'd only seen one shot, but that shot had been perfect. He was curious to see more.

And it looked like Kate was willing to show him. "It's not overconfidence if you can back it up."

With that, began a competition that had the Elf laughing more than he had in a long time. Kate really _was_ that good, and she wasn't afraid to make her shots showier than absolutely needed, either. Clint echoed those shots, even making one standing on his hands and using bare his feet to draw the bow. Lucky was crowing in sheer pride at that, and Clint bounded back to his feet with a flourish as the arrow hit true once more, bowing to a chuckling Kate as she applauded.

"You need to show me that," she demanded.

"Get some training with the acrobats and we'll see," he told her. After all, that was how he'd learned to hold himself so steady on just his hands, and the acrobats he'd known had been more than happy to pass along their skills to a kid who'd wanted to learn everything he could.

Clint wondered how Phil would feel about him bringing home another daughter, because he _really_ wanted to adopt Kate. Not that he could, since she was of age, but _damn_, she was good.

Well, he might not be able to adopt her, but he was certainly going to introduce her to Daisy. She needed an awesome archer in her gang.

Kate nodded, and Clint had no doubt she'd be doing just that.

"That was a great shot, little brother," a voice broke him out of the joy he'd been experiencing at having to face an archer that was _almost_ as good as he was. "I remember that one from your show."

Clint spun on his heel. Barney was standing several steps away, hands in his pockets, an expression of pain and chagrin on his face behind the small smile he was wearing. He'd been enjoying himself, and had almost allowed himself to forget that Barney was there, and married to Laura, and it hit him just as hard this time as he had back in the caravan.

He didn't have to be looking at Kate to know that she had to be staring at both of them as they faced off. He also didn't need to be a mind reader to know she had to be wondering just what the hells was going on between the two of them, but that it couldn't be good. Just Lucky's reaction alone, the sudden hiss of anger from the dragon and his jumping in front of Clint protectively a dead giveaway that something wasn't right.

"Call him off," Barney begged. "Please."

Clint called to Lucky to stand down, and the dragon came to stand at his side, although the Elf could tell that he was ready to strike if needed. He didn't think it would be, Barney had already hurt him enough, and to be honest Clint really wanted to get some hits in.

"Katie," he called back over his shoulder, "do you mind if we end the playtime for now? Seems like me and my brother have a few things to discuss."

"Sure," she agreed, "as long as you never call me Katie again."

He couldn't help the bark of laughter at her rebuttal. "See ya, Hawkeye,"

"Later, Hawkeye."

Clint didn't see her leave, and a part of him felt guilty about evicting her from her practice area, but honestly he didn't want to be in an enclosed space with Barney, even if it meant their dirty laundry was about to be aired in public. Being in a room with his brother was bound to make him explode in ways Clint would hate himself for, if just for the damage that would have been done to the surrounding walls.

Once she was out of hearing range, Barney stammered, "Clint, I…you have to know…"

"Know what?" he snapped, eyes narrowing. The last thing he wanted to do was hear Barney out, even though a part of him really wanted to know what the hells was going on.

His brother ran a hand through his auburn hair, his eyes looking pinched. Barney suddenly seemed to age a thousand years as he stood there, fighting to find words. But Clint wasn't about to take pity on him, not after the betrayal he'd suffered at his hands.

"I didn't mean…but, it just seemed so _easy_, and I wanted you with me, like we were meant to be, but you were so damned stubborn! Before I knew it, you were on the ground, and you looked…damnit, you looked _dead_, and I didn't know what to do!" The last part of that came out in an anguished cry that seemed to echo out over the practice fields, although no one but Clint was close enough to have heard it.

"You could have come back," the archer accused hotly. "You could have checked for yourself!"

"I did!" Barney answered. "I came back around sunset, looking for you. I thought…Gods, I thought at least I could take care of your body. But you were already gone! That's when I realized you weren't dead after all, and that I'd just abandoned you."

Clint could vividly recall it, with a sharpness that defied the fact that he'd been losing blood at a copious rate at the time. After he'd been stabbed and dumped in that ditch, because he'd dared stand up to Barney and his cohorts, who'd thought that robbing Old Man Carson had been easy money, and Barney had wanted him to go along with it. Clint had refused, because the Carsons had taken them in when they'd run off from that horrific orphanage and had given them a place to call home. Hadn't asked any questions about where two Elven kids had come from, outside of any Enclave, without parents and family, and had given them just that.

They'd _owed_ Carson their loyalty, and all Barney and his friends had seen was gold.

Even now, he had no idea who'd used the knife. Clint still had the scar, a jagged raised area of flesh under his ribcage, and the only thing that had saved his life was the fact that, whoever had done the deed had had lousy aim and had missed his vital organs. He leaned toward it being human, since Elves didn't carry anything important in the area they'd struck. Which at least meant that Barney hadn't been the wielder of that blade.

After they'd left, he'd managed to drag himself away, ending up at a farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere. Clint had no idea how he'd gotten there, only that he'd awakened to find a woman caring for him; she'd been a minor healer, not enough to get her a Master's certification but enough to keep him from dying. It had been a long recovery, and he'd gladly helped the young, newly married couple around the house until he was able to leave. He hadn't had anything to repay them with, but they hadn't seemed to care.

Ben and May Parker. That had been their names. Clint would never forget their kindness. When he'd gone to look for them, years later and after the Hawk had been born, he'd found that they'd left, their farm gone fallow. The neighbors had claimed that they'd moved to New Andrade, to be closer to Ben's family.

Clint had never found them again. He hoped they were alright.

"There was nothing keeping me around," Barney went on, "so I left. By myself. I couldn't be with the bastards who'd hurt you, and I was too ashamed to go back to Carson. I…bummed around for a while, got into all sorts of trouble, and I never forgave myself for what I'd done."

He certainly _sounded_ sincere. Clint wanted to believe him, but there was far too much pain and anger for it to happen, no matter what Barney told him. He crossed his arms, waiting for the rest of the story, sensing Lucky ready to leap to Clint's defense if Barney said the wrong thing, knowing that the expression on his face must have been unnerving, judging from Barney's flinch when the Elf glared at him.

"So, what brought you back? And how did you convince Laura, of all people, to marry you?" He had no idea what Barney had done to make Laura agree to do that, but it had to have been good. She'd always been so level-headed, even as a child. He just couldn't see how Barney had pulled the wool over her eyes like that.

Barney flinched again, this time at Clint's harsh tone. "There's…well, she looks like a little girl, but I don't know what the hells she is. I ran into her about three years after I'd taken off…I was looking for you at the time. I'd heard all these rumors about a mercenary calling themselves the Hawk, and everything pointed to him being you, but I could never get close enough. Shit, I was about to give up when that freaky kid crossed my path. She…" Barney actually shivered. "She looks like she's about twelve, but you can tell she's so much older than that. Like, centuries old. It's all in her eyes, and the way she talks."

From that description, even though he'd never met her personally, Clint knew _exactly_ who that strange girl was.

The UnEarthly Child.

He'd heard the stories about a mysterious child with the gift of prophecy, someone so old that it was said she'd been alive since the beginning of the world. Clint knew that wasn't true; now, he understood that the UnEarthly Child was antithesis of the Deathless, which had made the idea of Phil being the same thing patently impossible. It hadn't stopped Hydra from thinking that very thing, and kidnapping Daisy in order to ger Phil to cooperate, but then Clint could understand why they'd believed it; after all, Phil had been killed by Loki, then brought back by the Void. It was a misunderstanding that would have been easy to make.

"What did she tell you?" he asked.

Barney sighed. "I should have known you'd know who she was. Well, anyway, I was in this tavern somewhere in Barony Long River, and no kid should have been allowed entry…but she just sat down, put this deck of ancient looking cards on the table, and explained that she was going to tell my future. I didn't believe her, but then I got a look at her eyes and knew she was telling the truth."

His brother's own eyes went haunted as he continued. "She started laying these cards out on the table. I'd seen the cards used by the fortune teller here at the traveling show, but these were very different. The first one, I swear, looked exactly like me, only I was…I don't think I wanna say."

From what Jack had once said, his own first card had been a fighter that had been his spitting image, so Clint could understand why Barney had been spooked by it.

"Anyway, the next card was you, bow drawn, and there was a dragon with you. She just gave me this creepy smile, and kept laying out the cards, all these pictures that I didn't recognize. Then, she started to speak in this eerie voice, telling me that I would be seeing Void Champion's lover again, and it would be when I least expected it. That I would need to help, and when I did that I would earn back my brother's respect. That I needed to return to the beginning of my troubles, and I would find my home still open to me."

It was Clint's turn to shiver. If what Barney had said was true, he'd gotten this prophecy back before Phil had even become the Dark One, and was still living with all of his anger issues and pain and would have been looking for a way to burn everything down. No one had even _mentioned_ the title _Void Champion _at that time; it had only been much later; not even a month ago at that. This just seemed so _surreal_.

"I have no idea when this Void Champion's lover is supposed to show up," Barney murmured. "I just know I have to wait for whoever it is, even though she claimed I'd already met them before. I'm not even sure I'd know who it was even if they _did_ suddenly show up."

Before Clint could even think about censoring himself, he blurted, "That's me. I'm the Void Champion's lover."

Barney's jaw dropped in shock. "Shit, I had no idea!" Then he went pale. "Then, the last part of the message she had was for you!"

"Wait. What?" What sort of message would the UnEarthly Child have for _him_?

"She said," Barney swallowed hard, "that, when the time was right, she would find him. And his destiny would be at hand."


	7. Chapter 7

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto glanced down at his carefully written notes, and sighed, ready for tomorrow.

He thought of the man downstairs, in the storage room off his casting chamber, trapped within that Zero Cabinet, and prayed to the Gods that he and Phil would be successful in ridding him of the curses that had been forced upon him by Hydra, over centuries. Sir James Barnes should never have had been subjected to that sort of torture, and Ianto wanted nothing more than to finally destroy Hydra once and for all.

The problem was, they were missing two members, and there hadn't been any sign of Catherine and Ruby Hale to be found.

Which was why Jack was off with Toshiko and Clint, hoping to use the unofficial network of traveling shows to get the word out on their fugitive Hydra members. Ianto wasn't sure it would work, but every idea needed to be tried before they gave up…which, he was aware, was something Phil would never do. Not with Daisy and now Crystal in unintentional harms' way. They'd tried for Daisy twice, and succeeded once, in kidnapping her, and Phil would not rest until both his girls were safe. Because, it was just a matter of time before Crystal's existence got out. And that little girl deserved peace after what had been done to her.

Ianto knew that, once they had Sir James recovering, he would work on the curses laid on Dr. Banner next. The magical theorist had assured him that he could wait, as long as the curses couldn't be triggered by Thaddeus Ross. He was still staying at Ferrous Castle, which meant Pepper would be there in case anything occurred, and she was very powerful in her own right. Doctor Banner had been positive that Pepper could handle anything that would come up on that front.

He could foresee being quite busy curse breaking for the next week, at least. A Grand Master's work was never done, it seemed.

That didn't include his teaching Pietro Maximoff. Now, _that_ was a pleasure. The young man could be sarcastic and abrasive at times, especially when he believed he was correct about something, but he was also willing to learn. He had a quick mind, and even quicker hands, which had caused quite a bit of damage because his wand work was simply too fast. He'd work on it with the young Wizard, but it would take time.

He stood up from his desk, stretching his back a little. He hadn't really been sitting long, not since he'd called Phil and told him about being ready to begin the curse breaking for Sir James tomorrow. Phil had said he would let Steve know about it; the once-Paladin of the Western Lands would want to be there, even if he couldn't be in the same room – although he had an idea about that – since they couldn't risk the distraction his presence might cause Sir James. The Winter Knight couldn't remember his longtime friend, not until the curses were removed…and maybe not even then, but Ianto had faith in his abilities to get rid of them. With Phil's help, as the Void Grand Master would be invaluable in the rituals that Ianto had carefully drawn up. He knew the Void better than Ianto ever could, and every single one of the curses was fueled by Void magic.

Yes, there were times in the past where Ianto had been able to work with Void magic, but that had always been with a Void Wizard in control. The first time he'd done it, he'd been with his old friend, Suzie Costello, who'd been a new Wizard at the time, and it had taken her rather shaky contact with the Void in order for it to work. There certainly hadn't been any finesse in it, they'd both been so very inexperienced, and Gods only knew how it had worked.

Just that morning, the Baroness Anwyn Williams from Torchwood Castle had finally gotten back with him, about his request for the one Artifact that he believed could help with the curse breaking. Back when Gateway had been recreated, and the Wizard's Tower recommissioned, Their Majesties had decreed that all magical Artifacts and documents that had been housed at Torchwood Castle be moved to Gateway. The then-Baroness, Gwen Williams, had fought against the decision; after all, Torchwood Castle had long been the repository of magic in the United Kingdom, and she hadn't wanted to give up the power that came with that position. She'd transferred some of the Archive there, but not all, and had even faced Royal Censure for her actions.

Her son, the next Baron, had gone along with his mother's wishes, and had hidden what was left away from prying eyes. Ianto, of course, knew what was there, having been Master Archivist for Barony Cardiff before he'd discovered that he was an actual Wizard. It meant he'd catalogued a lot of the Artifacts there, as well as many of the scrolls and books that had been discovered over the centuries. So he'd known things were being held back, he simply couldn't find the proof of it.

However, Baroness Anwyn seemed to be amenable to finally making that transfer. However, she'd been extremely busy with Baronial business, and the negotiations between Ianto and the Baroness had had to be postponed for a time. It certainly helped that Baroness Cardiff's younger child was a Wizard, and she could see the importance of having that central Archive and not hiding things away. Besides, she could get no one to curate the collection for her, as no self-respecting Wizard would go against the Guild. All of that history, hidden and possibly fading away. It broke Ianto's heart to even think about it.

Baroness Anwyn had managed to locate what Ianto had been searching for, and had had a courier bring it to him, wrapped up against sort of damage in transit. It had been a pleasant surprise, although, if Ianto was being honest with himself, he would have wished to go and fetch it himself. However, the Baroness had also been informed that the Grand Master was also busy, and had considered it a favor to him to get it to him herself. Ianto appreciated the thought.

The Artifact had also come accompanied by a letter, letting Ianto know that she was ready to reopen the negotiations whenever he was available. That, in itself, gave him hope that the rest of the Archives would soon be where they belonged.

At the moment, he was alone in the house; Jack was, of course, out with Toshiko and Clint. Eirlys had come to lunch, but had left again; after all, she had her own home to go to, and her children, grandchildren, and husband waiting for her. And, as he'd teased her on her way out, she certainly didn't have time to humor lonely old men.

His daughter had laughed at that. As had her dragon, Corona.

Myfanwy lifted her head from the sofa, cooing at him questioningly. "I don't know about you," he told her, "but I think I need a cup of coffee. How about a snack?"

That had Myfanwy perking up immediately, and the fervent agreement to that idea flooded Ianto's mind, making him chuckle. 'Yes, I thought you might like that idea. Come along, milady. Let's go."

The Grand Master headed out to the kitchen, accompanied by his dragon. He got a chicken leg out of the cold box for Myfanwy first, then settled into making himself a cup of coffee. The brewer itself was magic; he'd worked out the enchantments himself so, when someone asked if he'd used magic to brew the perfect cup, he could actually admit that yes, he had.

Jack teased him about his 'magic coffee', but his husband certainly reaped the rewards of Ianto's spellcasting.

He'd managed to get his cup made – the perfect temperature, thank you – and was going to sit down in the kitchen nook in order to enjoy it along with the scones that Eirlys had brought with her, when the ping of someone Teleporting into his casting chamber caught his attention.

There were only a handful of people with standing invitations to do so. He extended his senses out, recognizing Stephen Strange's magical signature easily. The other Great Wizard with him was most likely the reason he'd gone into the casting chamber instead of the front door, as he was wont to do when he was showing up without calling first.

It must have been vitally important if he was breaching his own visiting protocol.

That…was worrying.

Ianto left his coffee on the table in order to go and greet his visitors. He was halfway down the stairs when he met Stephen on his way up, Agamotto draped around his shoulders and Cloak of Levitation floating about his legs jauntily; one end waved hello to Ianto as it noticed him standing there. He was accompanied by an older looking gentleman, with pale thinning hair and pale blue eyes, his dragon a dark blue, almost velvet black.

"Ianto," Stephen said in greeting, "I'm sorry for just showing up without warning."

"I figured it was urgent." Ianto turned and headed back up, leading the way to his study. Myfanwy, waiting in the hallway, greeted Agamotto profusely, and then welcomed the strange dragon just was gladly.

"This is Master Erik Selvig," Stephen did the introductions, "and his dragon, Polaris."

"Welcome to my home, Master Erik," Ianto said. "The dragon pile will be in the front room, as I'm sure Agamotto already knows. If you don't mind Polaris joining in, Myfanwy can show him where to go."

"That's perfectly fine," Master Erik answered. He had a faint accent, one that Ianto couldn't quite identify, although he thought it might be from one of the northern countries on the Eastern Continent, somewhere in the Middle Kingdoms.

Myfanwy chattered happily, allowing Agamotto to wrap around her as she headed toward the front room, where the biggest patch of sunlight in the entire house would be. Polaris followed eagerly.

"Can I get you coffee? I just made a fresh pot."

"That would be lovely, Ianto," Stephen accepted, although he usually took tea, the Cardinal Wizard knew that his friend would only drink the coffee that Ianto himself made.

Master Erik nodded. "Thanks, Grand Master."

"Head on into the study and I'll be there in a moment. Stephen knows where it is."

"If I don't by now, there's something wrong with me." Stephen was laughing. He motioned with his hand, and the Cloak floated off his shoulders, hanging itself on the hook by the front door. And, while Ianto felt a little odd anthropomorphizing a garment, he knew the Cloak, and it seemed as if it was a little disappointed that Jack's own cloak wasn't already hanging there, collar drooping.

Not that he blamed it. Jack's cloak smelt wonderful. But then, his husband did, as well, with the natural pheromones his people had once had, a thousand years ago.

Ianto went to fetch the coffee, pouring the rest into a ceramic carafe that Ianto had enchanted to keep the beverage warm even long past its time in the machine's heater. He added two more cups – grabbing his off the table – and then adding the cream and sugar to the tray that was kept there for that purpose. He also put some of Jack's favorite chocolate biscuits on a plate, then headed into the study where his guests were waiting.

Stephen had taken the chair in front of the desk, while Master Erik had decided on the sofa where Myfanwy usually stayed when Ianto was working. He served his visitors, and then himself, taking his seat behind the desk.

"Now," he said, "what brings the two of you here?"

Stephen looked grave. "Erik came to me this morning with some news that will most certainly affect Phil, and I wasn't certain how to approach him. I thought we might do it together."

"That bad?" This wasn't good at all. Stephen was a forthright sort of person, and he would usually have been comfortable going straight to Phil himself. For him to have brought the news to Ianto first, and then want the two of them to convey whatever it was…it meant he thought he needed support in what he was about to impart upon their newest Grand Master.

"Yes, Ianto. That bad. I'll let Erik explain."

The Cardinal Wizard turned to the second of his guests. Master Erik didn't look happy about being put on the spot. He took a sip of his coffee, blinked in surprise and stared down at his cup, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just tasted. Ianto mentally preened at that, but on the outside he simply raised an eyebrow in the Master's direction.

"I've been a friend of Queen Frigga of Asgard for many years," Master Erik began. "We met because of Prince Thor having a certain infatuation for my ward, Jane; don't ask me how they met, it's a long story and it's not really mine to tell."

Ianto didn't think he needed to. While there wasn't a lot of people who knew about King Odin's punishment of his older son and his subsequent banishment, Ianto did, because it had been of some concern to the Grand Masters at the time. He was willing to bet that this was when Prince Thor had met Master Erik's ward.

Of course, he also knew about the Queen's other son, the mad Wizard, Loki.

"Queen Frigga and I have kept in touch," Master Erik went on. "So, when she contacted me, I really didn't think much of it. After all, I like to think we've become friends, and I've actually been trying to get Asgardian Wizards to join up with the Guild, so I keep her apprised of things that might be of interest to her."

That was…slightly worrying. Ianto glanced over at Stephen, who gave him a faint nod; he would trust the Great Grand Master to his own housekeeping on this subject, then.

"And what did the Queen of Asgard have to say?" Ianto asked.

Master Erik took a deep breath. "She wanted to warn us that Loki has escaped."


	8. Chapter 8

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eight 

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack didn't like any of this. Not one bit.

He didn't pretend to know what had happened between Clint and his brother, but it hadn't been good, judging from the way Clint had bolted out of the wagon, his usually sure feet stumbling as he rushed to leave. Toshiko had looked like she was going to follow, but she'd stopped herself, and Jack figured she must have realized that Clint had needed time to himself.

Not that he blamed the man, not after running into his brother like that, when he'd least expected to.

Jack, himself, had extremely vague memories of having a brother. They were lost to time; humans simply weren't meant for immortality, and he'd most likely lost more than he'd gained at this point. He simply couldn't recall his brother's name, or what had happened to him, but there was a faint sense of pain that had him guessing that his brother's fate hadn't been a good one. No matter how hard he'd tried to bring those memories back to the surface, he'd failed, and he'd given up a long time ago to recall anything of the times before he was Deathless.

Well, he _did_ remember Master John Smith, and Lady Rose Tyler; they were the reason he was the way he was. It hadn't hurt that all those old memories had been refreshed when Master John and his time-traveling spell-enchanted dragon, Tardis, had come back into his life like a maelstrom, and had eventually settled down and become a teacher at the Wizard School. And Lady Rose had ended up, not only being the template for the Avatar of Gateway, a sentient connection to the Deep Ways, but also Ianto's many-times great grandmother, the very one who'd used the spell that had destroyed the Nameless Demons that had attacked Gateway over a thousand years ago and had accidentally made Jack himself into the Deathless.

It really was no wonder that Ianto had turned out to be as powerful as he had, with that sort of magic in his family line.

That thought made him wonder if there was some sort of ultra-powerful Void Wizard somewhere in Phil's family tree. That would certainly explain the Wizard's own propensities toward being that incredibly gifted.

When Barney Barton went to follow, his wife pulled him away from the door by the arm. "Give him a minute," Laura urged him. "He's bound to be upset."

"Not that I blame him for that," Barney answered bitterly, allowing himself to be pushed down onto the couch.

"Would you mind explaining what just happened?" Jack demanded. This…no, he _really_ didn't like this at all. It had been Clint's idea to come here, and his friend had just seemingly been ambushed by a brother who Jack wasn't inclined to trust.

"That, Captain Harkness," Laura said, "is a long and complicated story."

"Basically," Barney spoke up tiredly, "I betrayed my own brother and left him to die. I…didn't mean to, but it was done, and he rightly blames me."

Jack growled softly. He was unbelievably angry for his friend, who'd been blindsided by the surprise appearance of someone who should have loved him, and been loyal, to him. No wonder Clint had been in such a hurry to leave.

Toshiko looked both angry and stricken at the same time. In the short while they'd known Clint, the two Elves had bonded; Toshiko had confided in Jack that she could very easily see the younger Elf becoming almost like a brother to her, after some more time in each other's company. In fact, Toshiko had pointed out to him and Ianto both that the resident immortals and their allies were already family, of a sort, and would need to rely on each other in the upcoming centuries.

She was right. But then, Toshiko had always been brilliant.

"If we'd known Clint was coming," Laura murmured sadly, "we might have planned this better. And, if _someone_ hadn't come in when he had…" She glared at her husband.

Barney held his hands up. "Yeah, but I…I just wanted to see him. We've searched for so long…"

So, at least Barney knew he'd done wrong, and had tried to find Clint. That was a point in his favor, Jack had to allow. "Yes, that could have been done better."

"Look," Clint's brother said, "I know you don't have any reason to trust me, besides the fact that you don't know me, but we really have been looking for Clint. And, I had certain…knowledge, as it were, that I'd have the chance to make it up to him one day. I just wasn't expecting him to be the one to come, really. Laura wanted to prepare, but I honestly never thought…damnit, this couldn't really get any worse." He turned to his wife. "Laura, I need to go after him. I need to explain."

She nodded, and Barney was out the door like an arrow fired from a bow, his boots clattering on the steps that led down from the door. Jack went to follow, wanting to protect Clint, but Laura stopped him. "He needs to do this. And, if Clint doesn't listen, well…we can't blame him. Barney is really sorry for what he'd done. I can only hope Clint believes him."

Something that Barney had said pinged in Jack's mind. "He said he had certain knowledge that someone would be coming here, and that Clint would come back to his brother because of it. Something magical told him, then?" He took his position back against the wall, where he could watch the woman closely. Toshiko remained standing, also ready to act if needed.

It didn't seem as if she was surprised by their watchfulness. "Before Barney came back to us, he had a run-in with that so-called immortal fortune teller, the UnEarthly Child."

Jack shivered. He knew her; knew that she was his antithesis, that the little girl who'd once been named Faith had been created to counterbalance his Deathlessness. She'd once called it Lifelessness, and that would make sense in the way the Balance of the universe had been set by the Gods, even if he was pretty certain it didn't actually work that way in principle. He really didn't see the point of doing that to a _child_, but it didn't matter how much he questioned, he knew he would never get the answers he wanted.

She had real magic, as well, although it was obvious she wasn't a true Wizard. Now, whether she'd had it before she was changed, or it was a consequence of her transformation, Jack didn't know and most likely never would. However, her prophecies were always completely accurate…it was just that she had a tendency to speak in riddles, and sometimes the meaning of the foretelling wasn't known until after the fact.

Jack had had his own reading, ages ago, but he could still recall it pretty clearly. It had actually foretold his meeting Ianto, but he hadn't believed it. Suzie Costello, his old Second and later Void Wizard, had also had her own meeting with the UnEarthly Child, who'd used her cards to tell Suzie that she would one day get a job offer from Jack himself.

Then there was that mess with Idris, and Genosha, and John Hart. That was when he'd finally realized just what the UnEarthly Child was, and to be honest it had sickened him. His own Deathlessness was bad enough, but this…

"What did she tell him?" Toshiko asked, saving Jack from having to do the same. She'd know just how bothered he was by the entire notion of that weird little girl, and would have saved him the effort of trying to force the question out himself.

"Something about the Void Champion's lover coming to us, asking for help," the woman answered, "and when that happened Barney would regain his brother's respect. Also, that he should come back here, and we would welcome him back. We did, because Dad was always a big one on second chances, and Barney has more than made up for what he'd done to us." She smiled slightly. "I doubt I would have fallen in love with him otherwise."

Jack could believe that. Laura Barton seemed to be a strong-willed woman, one who knew her own mind and who wouldn't have put up with any of Barney's bullshit. He just couldn't see the Elf being able to put anything over on her.

"You should know," he said, in the spirit of honesty and of needing Laura to understand exactly what was going on, "The Void Champion is Phil Coulson. Clint's his lover."

Laura's jaw dropped in shock. "Gods, that makes so much sense. I'd wondered just how us helping a stranger would also help Barney regain his brother's respect."

There were times when Jack really _hated_ the idea of fate. That the Gods really took so much interest in mortals that they'd choose certain ones to do amazing things, basically taking away their choice in the matter. He knew that he was one of those fated ones; it had been pointed out to him over the centuries since he'd become Deathless. Ianto was also one, although he really couldn't hate that particular destiny since it had brought the Wizard into Jack's life, and he just couldn't see him being the man he was now without Ianto Jones loving him the way he did.

Alright, so some destinies were fine. Just not all of them.

"She also said something else," Laura admitted. "That she would be seeing _him_ when the time was right, and she would tell him his destiny. Which, sounds ominous now that I really think about it, because the 'him' was Clint and we didn't realize it at the time."

Jack had to agree. That sounded _incredibly_ ominous.

He got the feeling this might be another destiny he might not agree with.

_Damnit_.


	9. Chapter 9

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

Author's Note: The ruling triumvirate of Andrade might seem a bit familiar...

* * *

Thor stared up at the Baronial Residence in New Andrade, extremely unimpressed by the attempt at royal grandeur in front of him

He had seen palaces before; the Royal Palace of Asgard was a magnificent affair, white and gold towers glimmering in the sun, snow glittering at the peaks of the mountains beyond, banners clean against that pure whiteness. This place…it had the towers, but the very construction of the palace was gaudy, not exceptional, white marble and grey granite paired together in tones that were distinctly uncoordinated. A broad expanse of windows looked out upon the central courtyard; they were enormous, at least three stories tall, and Thor had to wonder why they were there. That much glass was distinctly indefensible, and would cause injury to anyone nearby if an enemy destroyed them.

It did not make sense. Thor disliked things that did not make sense.

Still, his mother had sent him to warn the Western Lands of Loki's escape, not to make judgements on architecture and defensibility, so he dismounted his horse, letting a stable hand take the reins and giving the girl a copper coin for her trouble. The child smiled up at him, bobbing her head in thanks, then led his horse away, toward an archway at the left of the courtyard, obviously where the stables were located. Then, making certain that Mjolnir was fastened securely at his waist, the Prince of Asgard headed up the stone steps toward the entrance of the Residence, hoping that he could get an audience immediately.

To be honest, Thor did not know all that much about the Baroness Andrade. Yes, he understood the politics of their southern neighbor, but not about names and reputations. Mother had claimed that Baroness Victoria Gates was an honorable person; beyond that, Thor did not know her, or how she might react to the news he was about to impart. The last thing Asgard wanted was to wreck the trust between the two countries, which really went against Father's desire to do nothing in this case but, as Mother has said, he was ill, and perhaps not in quite the right frame of mind anymore.

Thor knew it would not be much longer before he was proclaimed King of Asgard. Truthfully, he did not want the position. He felt he was not ready for that responsibility.

Still and all, he had no choice. Thor would be king after his father passed, or abdicated the throne. It was as inevitable as sunrise and sunset.

The enormous entryway into the Baronial Residence was just as ostentatious as the outside, but someone had at least attempted to mitigate that effect. Fine tapestries covered the walls, blunting the expanse of stone, and comfortable-looking chairs were dotted about the place. The windows let in all the light the entry needed, although there was a huge gilt chandelier high on the ceiling. Thor thought it must have been lit by magical means, for there seemed to be no way to lower it in order to light the sconces by hand when it became dark.

People turned to stare as he walked past. Thor knew what they were seeing: a tall man, with long blond hair pulled back from his face by a leather band, his armor ornate yet functional and showing some signs of wear. Mjolnir wasn't the only weapon he carried openly; he had a long dagger tucked into one boot, and a short sword on the opposite hip from his magical hammer, so it would be apparent to anyone that he was a warrior who knew how to do battle. His red cloak billowed out around him as he moved with purpose toward what would have been the reception desk, where a man wearing the Baronial livery was seated, the muted grey and black a contrast to his surroundings.

The man was nondescript, yet Thor had the distinct impression that this was a fighter, one that hid his deadliness behind a kindly façade. He might not have been wearing armor, but that did not make him any less competent. The prince had to wonder what had earned him this seemingly ignominious duty.

He gave the prince a welcoming smile. "Good day," the man greeted, and Thor had to congratulate him on seeming so innocuous. "May I help you today?"

"Indeed, Sir…" Because, if this man wasn't a Knight, then Thor would eat Mjolnir.

That had one side of the man's mouth curl up even higher in amusement. "Sir Kevin Ryan."

"Sir Kevin." Thor inclined his head, in deference to a fellow warrior. "I am Prince Thor of Asgard, and I seek an audience with Baroness Victoria. It is of some urgency."

The smile dropped from the Knight's face. Ah, there was the warrior within. "Of course, Your Highness. Please, come with me." He stood, favoring his left side. So, the man had been wounded in some way. That now made sense, why he had been set to greeting visitors. "I'm sorry we didn't know you were coming, or else we would have been prepared…" He waved toward one of the many soldiers stationed around the space, who came and took the Knight's place at the desk.

"My visit was rather rushed," Thor explained. "Or else I would have communicated my intent." He had wanted to use one of Asgard's Teleport Artifacts to arrive sooner, but Mother had argued against it, as it would have not have fit his reason for being away from the castle. It was all good roads between Andrade and Asgard, and the weather had been kind, so Thor had not minded the ride even though his sense of urgency in his errand had grown with every league he'd ridden.

"Her Grace is in Court," Sir Kevin explained as they walked deeper into the Residence. "I doubt she'll mind being interrupted, if it's that important."

Thor modulated his stride to Sir Kevin's, in deference to his obvious injury. He wanted to ask what sort of glorious combat had caused it, but knew that Asgard's southern neighbors did not revel in the conflicts they participated in, not like Asgardians were wont to do. If the Knight volunteered the information, then Thor would listen. Perhaps over a mug of celebratory mead, when time was less pressing.

They garnered more looks as they passed through the denizens of the Residence, servants and courtiers, as well as those with business with the Baroness; however, Thor ignored them easily, content to accompany Sir Kevin toward the Court chamber. It seemed to be at the rear of the building, which made sense strategically, as there would be more places to prevent invaders from getting to the seated Baron or Baroness in case of attack. The interior of the Residence was far more defensible than the exterior, with places that would serve as choke points and barely noticeable niches where archers could rain arrows down into the corridors. Thor could see now that the outside of the Residence had been constructed in order to lull anyone considering making some sort of attack into a false sense of security, believing that it would be simple to take the Residence with minimal force needed. That would lead them into the building itself, where they could be easily repulsed.

The corridor they were in opened up into a wider room, with a set of double doors at the opposite side. There were two visible guards at the door, and the Prince was certain there were more, only not out in the open. The guards snapped to attention when Sir Kevin approached, which proved to Thor that this man was honored amongst his peers and, even wounded as he was, he had been set to guard the entryway and not simply sit at that desk. He had been a sentry, and had been trusted to be able to hold the line if needed. The Prince was willing to wager that Sir Kevin had strategically placed several weapons about the desk for just such a possible attack, hidden from view.

"Let me announce you," the Knight said, waving his hand at the guards, communicating that he wished to enter the Court. The woman on the right stepped aside, pushing the door open for him, nodding as he walked past.

Thor waited. He could hear voices within, knew what holding Court would entail as such things were very much the same in the Western Lands as they were in Asgard. The voices ceased, and he could make out Sir Kevin letting the Baroness know that His Royal Highness, Prince Thor of Asgard, was waiting outside.

"Please," a woman's voice, strong and sure, answered, "send him in." There was a pause. "We'll continue this later, gentlemen."

Sir Kevin was at the door once more, waving Thor inside. The prince accepted the invitation, stepping into the wide chamber beyond. It was built along the lines of most Court rooms, with a long carpet leading up to a dais at the far end of the room, also in the Baronial colors of black and grey. The walls within were plain and unadorned grey granite, and yet that fit the somber nature of the business that would be conducted within.

Baroness Victoria Gates did not look all that imposing, and yet appearances could be very deceiving. She was a dark-skinned woman of medium height, her black hair in a simple style that conflicted with the richness of her robes. She was handsome; not pretty, as that word did not fit her, but she had a power about her that made up for any sort of lack of stature.

The woman on the right, standing just behind the Baronial seat, was beautiful in a way that reminded Thor of Lady Sif: stern yet fair, wearing armor that had seen battle and an air of competence that Thor interpreted as a willingness to battle anyone who would threaten her Baroness. Her hair was also dark, but in shades of brown, and cropped short as befitting a warrior. Thor knew immediately that this was Baroness Victoria's Knights' Commander, leader of all the troops within the city.

The man on the left had a cheerful face, and was dressed in shades of blue and grey, a goodly sized dragon with blue scales curled at his feet. He was also handsome, and there was a mischievousness in his eyes that had Thor deciding that the Wizard often enjoyed a good jape, and yet could be serious when the occasion demanded it. He was also shrewd, and he was looking Thor over, as if attempting to discern things about him simply by examining his countenance. Thor nodded in greeting, and the Wizard's lips quirked upward in a tiny smile.

The Baroness stood. "Your Highness," she greeted him cordially. "I am Victoria Gates, Baroness Andrade. This is my Knights' Commander, Sir Katherine Beckett," the Knight nodded, "and my Court Wizard, Master Richard Castle." The Wizard also nodded, that tiny smirk still in place. "Welcome to my Barony. What may we of Andrade do for Asgard?"

Ah, right to the heart of the matter. Thor was inclined to like her just for that reason. "Your Grace," he began, suddenly wishing he was visiting for more pleasurable reasons, "I bring grave news to you, and to your fellow Barons. It appears that Loki has escaped his prison, and we fear he may attempt another attack upon the Western Lands."

Baroness Victoria's eyes flashed in anger, but it was Master Richard's response that told the tale. He physically started in surprise, glancing toward the Knights' Commander, who hadn't reacted at all to the news. Thor suspected he would not wish to play any sort of games of chance with Sir Katherine, as she had an excellent poker face, as was the gambling term.

"This is bad," she said flatly. "Thank you for bringing this to us. I'll need to inform the full Council at once. Are you willing to speak in front of them as well?"

"Indeed, Your Grace. I was hoping that this would be the case."

"Excellent."

"I should contact Grand Master Stephen," Master Richard added. "He can warn Grand Master Phil."

Ah. He assumed that this must have been the Wizard that Loki had faced and seemingly killed, hence his need of being warned. "My mother, Queen Frigga, has already seen to that warning to the Guild," Thor said, "however, I am certain the news coming from two separate sources would be welcome confirmation." He found himself hoping that he would meet this Grand Master Phil, the one who'd survived Loki. He would have been a formidable Wizard indeed if this tale was true.

"Then we have a plan," the Baroness replied. "Will you see Prince Thor to rooms, Sir Kate, while we make the calls?"

The Knights' Commander nodded. "Certainly."

"My bags will still be with my horse –"

"I'll have one of the pages run down to get them," Sir Kate answered. "You can get some rest and clean up before the Council. The Baroness will call the Council to meet immediately."

As Thor followed the Knight out of the Court room, he felt gratified that they were taking this threat seriously. While he would never stop loving his brother, he knew exactly what sort of trouble Loki could cause, and the Western Lands needed to be prepared.

As did this Grand Master that Loki would most likely be targeting.


	10. Chapter 10

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ten

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy sighed, rubbing her forehead, wondering just what she was doing wrong with this Growth charm.

Every time she attempted to cast it, instead of causing the plant she was using it on to grow only a little bit, it would suddenly start growing out of control, and would also spread to any other plants in the vicinity. She'd attempted it one time while in the gardens at Ferrous Castle, and had caused the entire southern rose garden to go crazy. Jarvis had shaken his head at the chaos and then said he'd get the gardener in early to clear things up.

Jarvis had seen a lot in his time working for Baron Tony, and tended to take things in stride. He was pretty awesome for that. And Daisy had promised not to cast it out in the open like that ever again. Not that that had kept the spell from driving any sort of plant into wild overgrowth…just look at Pepper's office back in Ferrous as an example of that.

"What are you working on?" Jemma's voice broke her out of her glare at the written spell.

Daisy looked up from the workbench, to see both Jemma and Leo standing at the door. No Wizard entered a room where another Wizard was working with magic without warning, because distractions could really make a mess. She'd decided on using one of the labs at the Wizard's School for her work this time, knowing they had certain wards on them in case of mis-casts and other problems that student Wizards may have. And a distinct lack of plants.

She waved them in, Professor and Turbo joining Skye in the corner, where she'd been dozing off on a cushion that someone had left behind just for that purpose. "It's this Growth charm. The last time I tried it, I made the potted plant in Pepper's office get so big we had to hack our way out with our daggers. There _has_ to be something in the equations…"

Leo leaned over the page, his quick eyes taking in the notes she'd made in the margins. "Well," he mused, "you _are_ fairly powerful, Daisy. Perhaps it's your power level that's affecting the casting of the spell."

"Or there may _be_ something off about your equations," Jemma pointed out, standing on Daisy's other side and taking her own look at the offending spell. "Growth charms are notoriously fiddly things."

She let her friends look the spell over; after all, both Elves were advanced in their own magicks. There was a rumor that their teaching Master, Alphonso Mackenzie, was considering putting them up for their Master's exams early, they were that smart. Daisy was a little jealous, if she was being honest. Having power and being able to master it were two entirely different things, after all. Daisy's own abilities were more on the 'power' side of that scale. She still had a few problems with control, but she was working on that, with Pepper's help, and her Dad's. And there would be no exams for her until she could get total rein over it.

"I don't see anything wrong with the equations _or_ the runes," Jemma declared finally. "It has to be the power you're putting into the intention, Daisy."

She sighed. Yes, she'd been afraid of that. In the back of her mind, she'd known that simple equation failure couldn't have caused the outrageousness of the growth she'd been experiencing. Still, she'd been hoping… "I'll have to pull it back, then."

"Or," Leo said, "you can practice spells that simply take more magic to cast them."

"That kinda defeats the purpose of learning control," she pointed out, fiddling with the gauntlet on her left arm. Sometimes she thought she didn't need them anymore, and wore them just because she liked the look of them, but there were also times when she actually _did_, feeling the magic that enchanted them interacting with her own, keeping the Deep Ways within manageable levels. Daisy hated it, but until she could be as controlled as her Dad, the gauntlets would be a part of any wardrobe she chose to wear.

"You'll get it," Leo said encouragingly, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Exactly," Jemma added, leaning into her a little. "And we'll help as we can."

Daisy just loved her friends. They were fantastic.

"Um…excuse me?"

The voice coming from the door was slightly uncertain, but not really timid. The three of them turned, and Daisy saw a little kid standing there, books clutched to her chest and a pearly grey dragon by her side. The young Wizard thought the girl was probably a new student, around twelve maybe. She had wild red hair and pale eyes that were either grey or green, it was hard to tell in the light coming from the glowglobes overhead. She was dressed all in shades of grey and purple, and the dress seemed to be some sort of hand-me-down.

She was Void.

"I'm sorry," Jemma gushed a little, as she was prone to doing around little kids, "we didn't see you there."

"Are you lost?" Leo echoed her solicitously.

The girl nodded. "I think I took a wrong turn somewhere. I'm looking for the library."

"You're almost there," Daisy answered. "Come on, we'll show you were it is." She needed to get away from her spell for a bit, and think about what Leo and Jemma made her realize about her own magic.

The student smiled, which completely erased the slight sternness that someone that young shouldn't have been wearing as an expression. "Thank you."

Daisy quickly gathered up her notes and her dragon, and led the way out of the laboratory, Jemma and Leo ushering the girl out before them so she was walking in the middle of their little group. "I'm Daisy," she introduced herself, "and these are my friends, Jemma and Leo. Our dragons are Skye, Professor, and Turbo."

"I'm Medusa," the student answered. "And my dragon is Addie."

"That's an unusual name," Jemma piped up. "For you, not your dragon."

Medusa looked confused. "Is it?"

"It's the name of a creature from Elven mythology," Leo explained. "It was given to a young Elf who was cursed by evil magic so that her hair became a mass of writhing snakes and her gaze could turn mortals to stone."

"Leo," Daisy chastised. She was used to her friends' ability to overshare, but there was a time and a place, and Leo Fitz had no tact. Telling someone that they were named for some sort of beast wasn't what you wanted to just blurt out.

"Sorry." He did at least look apologetic.

"It's okay," Medusa said. "I didn't know. Can I learn more about the story sometime?"

"Sure, yes." Leo was surprised by the request.

Daisy was, too, but then she was named after a flower, and not some mythical monster. So knowing what her name meant wasn't so…fraught.

They left the laboratory building, turning right onto the path that led around the circumference of the Wizard's School. The campus had been constructed so that this path led around the central Wizard's Tower, as well as having spokes from each of the buildings heading straight toward the central park area at the base of the tower itself. It was all convenient to each other, and Daisy would often like to just walk around the diameter, when she had the time.

Jemma engaged Medusa in conversation as they walked, "And how are you liking the school so far?"

She shrugged. "It's fine."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic," Daisy said. She was a little concerned by the little girl's expression, an attempt at blandness that failed utterly. She would have been willing to bet that something had happened to her, and she thought she might know what it was.

Because Medusa was Void, and there were some Greats that would cause trouble with either Cardinals or Voids.

"Is someone giving you a hard time?" she asked gently, already knowing the answer.

Medusa shrugged again. "It's not anything I wasn't expecting." The little girl sounded resigned about the whole situation.

That was just so wrong on so many levels.

Daisy stopped in her tracks, kneeling in front of her. "Medusa, you don't have to take that from anybody."

"I'm just a student. I…was afraid to ask you all for help, because…" she glanced toward Jemma and Leo, who'd come to stand behind Daisy, leaning over her shoulders to look at Medusa.

This was what her Dad was going to be fighting against: this prejudice, and the bullying that came with it. It made Daisy furious that this student, who was still just a little kid and new to the school, was already running into the systemic hazing that some of the Greats could dish out. It wasn't fair, and her Dad would have his work cut out for him, but he also had Ianto and Grand Master Stephen on his side.

"We never would!" Jemma exclaimed.

"That's not us!" Leo cried, his words running right over his fellow Elf's.

On an impulse, Daisy took her speaking stone from her pocket. "Take this." She handed it to Medusa, who accepted it with a great deal of surprise. "If anyone bullies you again about being Void, you call me. Or Jemma and Leo. We'll come right away."

"Daisy's Dad is working to stop that sort of thing," Leo added.

"A Wizard is a Wizard, and we should all be supporting each other," Jemma insisted. "No one should have to go through that sort of thing."

Daisy could tell that Medusa was reluctant to tell tales on anyone, which was another issue that Dad would have to deal with. If no one spoke up, the problem couldn't be fixed. "My Dad was a victim of that sort of thing," she confided. "He's Void, too. So is my sister, and I don't want her to go through that when it's her time to come to school. This should be a safe place for all Wizards, and it's not fair that there are a few assholes around that give everyone else a bad name."

"But you're Cardinal," Medusa said, confused. "How can your father be Void?"

Daisy shrugged. "He adopted me."

"That wasn't all of it," Jemma said. "He fought for her, when no one wanted him to adopt a Cardinal, because they were opposites and everyone said Voids shouldn't be adopting Cardinals."

"It's true," Leo insisted. "In fact, he's sort of adopted _all_ of Daisy's friends, including the Greats."

"Daisy never cared about what sort of magic a person has," Jemma went on. "Her boyfriend is a Great."

"It's true," Daisy agreed, feeling slightly embarrassed by her friend's praise of her. "If you're a good person, you're a friend. Anyone who tells you, you aren't good because of your magic, they're lying. Unless, of course, you're an asshole, then I might have to have words with you."

Medusa snorted a laugh at that. "I don't _think_ I'm an asshole."

"Then we're fine." She nodded toward the stone. "You let any of us know if something happens, alright? Not only because we'll help, but Dad will want to know it's going on at the school and can go to the headmaster about it." Headmaster Chesterton was a decent sort, the young Wizard knew, and would always do the right thing as long as he had proof of wrongdoing.

"How can one person fight against this?" Medusa asked.

"Because my Dad's Grand Master of Voids," Daisy told her. She would never get tired of telling people that, she was just that proud of him. "He's the most powerful Void in the world, and the Void considers him its Champion." Yes, she was very proud of that, too. "His word carries a lot of weight in magical circles, and he's friends with the other Grand Masters, who also won't be pleased about that sort of shit going on at the school. So he isn't alone in fighting."

Medusa seemed to be a bit more convinced at that announcement, and she took the speaking stone, slipping it into her own pocket. "I'll call," she promised.

Daisy gave her a brilliant smile. "Awesome. You can also ask for one of our other friends, in case we don't answer…which is really doubtful, but you never know." She gave the girl Trip, Lincoln, Wanda and Pietro's names. "Any one of us will be there as quick as we can."

"That stone is connected to all of us," Jemma said.

"Thank you." Medusa smiled as well. "I have to go now…"

"Yep, we do too." That wasn't exactly true, but Medusa had had enough of an information dump on her for the day. "Good luck with classes. And the library is right there." She pointed toward the building, which was a four-story affair with a glass-fronted façade. "And don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

Medusa nodded, then turned and walked toward the library. There seemed to be a spring in her step, and Daisy felt a warm glow at putting it there. She'd had her own version of bullying from the Greats, but some people were just better at handling it than others, and she, herself, had had years in different orphanages to toughen her up. Not everyone had that sort of early life experience, and would be more of a victim than Daisy ever had been.

Medusa would be fine. After all, she had the rest of them to look out for her if and when she'd need it.


	11. Chapter 11

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eleven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil watched as Steve's face suffused with joy as the Wizard told him about the plan for Sir James for tomorrow. There was that little tiny bit of him that was making excited noises about seeing it, but the Wizard tamped down on it ruthlessly. He'd thought his hero-worship would have calmed down by now, but no such luck. It was irritating.

Lola was laughing at him. That was irritating, too.

"What can I do to help?" Steve asked, practically vibrating in his seat.

"At this time, nothing really, and you know we can't risk you being in the same room, just in case Sir James reacts negatively." He looked crestfallen at that, but Phil had an idea that might cheer him up a little. "However, I think Ianto's working on something that would allow you to at least observe."

"I'll do anything." Steve's face was stern with resolve. Then he turned tentative. "And what about Bucky's memory? Do you think…?"

Phil hated to disappoint him, but he needed to be completely honest. "We still don't know. We have hope, but…the curses have been there for a long time. He may have been getting small flashes once he was out from under Hydra's control; however, that's all that may be left, just flashes."

"Then I'll help him in any way I can."

The Wizard was glad to hear that, although there had been very little doubt of Steve's intentions to be there for Sir James. While he hadn't actually come out and admitted it, Phil suspected there was so much more there than just friendship, at least on Steve's part. He'd heard the stories of Lady Peggy and the Paladin, and had thought they were really romantic. Now, though, he was beginning to wonder just how much those stories had been romanticized with the idea of making a good tale to tell around the campfire. Personally, Phil believed that Steve and Sir James' own story would have been the better one, but that was just his personal opinion. No offence to Lady Peggy, because he carried around about the same amount of hero-worship for her, but he seemed to have a soft spot for the idea that Steve and Sir James getting a happy ending, after everything they'd been through.

"He's going to need it, once all the curses are gone. It's how he's lived for centuries, and it's bound to make a mark on him, especially mentally."

"And I'm sure Sam will want to help, too. He really helped me."

That was an excellent suggestion, and Phil said so. Doctor Wilson had proved to be an excellent mental health professional and his specialties were battle trauma and recovery. Sir James had just been fighting that battle for longer than anyone should have had to.

"I know Jack will want to help as well," he added.

Steve nodded. "Yes, talking to someone who remembered things from back then helped me, too." His mouth curled upward in a slight smirk. "I'm still amazed that the man I knew back during the Century War had been the Deathless all along."

Phil knew that the help was two-sided; Jack had forgotten quite a bit about that time, and was relearning it from his discussions with Steve. While he hoped that their business with the traveling show would be concluded quickly – mainly because he slept much better when Clint was in bed with him, which was totally selfish reason but one he couldn't deny – having Jack there as well, for the curse removal, might actually have a grounding effect on Steve and keep him from trying to interfere. Because, if Phil was correct about his new friend, Steve would likely attempt to step in during some of the worst parts of the removal. It was going to be unpleasant.

Just as he was about to say just that, that Steve had to be prepared, there was a loud, obnoxious, sound that echoed over the room from the mantel.

Phil recognized where it was coming from. It was the Artifact that had been enchanted to connect to all the Barons on the Council.

Someone was calling the Council to an emergency meeting.

Cursing, using language that would be fairly safe around a little girl, Nick stood and carried a cringing Crystal over to Phil, and he cuddled her, reassuring her that nothing bad was happening. Well, he was pretty sure there was bad happening _somewhere_, since emergency Council meetings didn't get called for routine issues, but he wasn't about to get into that much detail.

The Artifact was a silver statue in the shape of an eagle, one that every single Barony had. Nick touched the statue, silencing the irritating sound, and a female voice echoed up from somewhere in the direction of the bird's stylized head. _"Emergency meeting of the Council in two hours. Mandatory attendance."_

Nothing about what the meeting was about, but then Phil hadn't expected there to be. If it was a true emergency, then the reason would remain a secret until every single Baron or Baroness was sealed into the Council chamber at New Andrade.

When Nick stepped away, he was rolling his single eye in annoyance. "Well, there goes my afternoon. And just how I wanted to spend it; being all political." He growled. "Maria, Steve… you'll need to be ready half an hour before we leave."

Steve looked startled. "I'm going, too?"

"Yep. All Court Wizards and Knights' Commander are required at these things. You'll need to wear your best armor."

Maria snorted. "And to think, I gave up being Head of Great Order for this job."

"I'm just glad it's not me," Phil admitted. Because he knew Nick would have tried to rope him into going, as he had in the past, if Maria hadn't been the official Court Wizard. Phil had always demurred, because politics wasn't his thing at all, and Nick had had to function without one for a while. Nick never let him forget it, either. Phil, though, had been made of much sterner stuff and hadn't let his best friend guilt him about it.

There was a small chiming sound from Phil's pocket; it was his speaking stone. Shifting Crystal around a little, He dug it out, activating it.

_"__Phil," _Melinda's voice answered, _"you need to get back here, now. Grand Masters Ianto and Stephen are both demanding to talk to you, they say it's urgent."_

"We're on the way back." He turned the stone off, standing and lifting Crystal with him.

"That," Nick snapped, "is not a coincidence."

"No, it's not," Phil agreed. A meeting of the Baronial Council and the Grand Masters showing up, unannounced, on Phil's doorstep? No, this had to be about the same thing. "I'll get back to you as soon as I know anything."

"You do that. I don't want to go into Council without some sort of heads' up."

"We're going home now?" Crystal asked softly.

"Yes, sweetheart." There was a slight thrum of fear under his skin, wondering just what the hells was going on that would involve both the Council of Barons and the Wizards Quorum.

He was dreading the answer.

"I'll be in touch," he assured his friend. Calling Lola and Lockjaw to him, he triggered his Teleport Artifact, appearing back into his casting chamber.

Ianto and Stephen weren't there, so Phil took the stairs up into the Keep two at a time, holding Crystal tightly, not wanting to risk dropping her in his haste to discover what his fellow Grand Masters wanted. There was the illogical part of him that wanted to gather his family and run, and he couldn't say why.

The Void had begun to tingle just under his skin, almost like a sense of something terribly wrong, that this news wouldn't be good. Phil had never put much thought into the notion of prescience, but this certainly felt like some version to him.

"They're in your study," Melinda met him just outside the door, looking even graver than she usually did. "I don't know what they want, but it looks bad." She reached out for Crystal, and Phil gratefully passed her over, not wanting to take his daughter into a meeting where it might all go pear-shaped. Crystal went willingly; something of his mood must have communicated itself to her, because her face had turned solemn in an expression that looked completely out of place on a six-year-old. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, trying to comfort her, but he didn't think he was very successful at it.

Lola accompanying him – she was picking up his unease – Phil strode toward his study, his heart thumping a little painfully in anticipation. When he entered, he immediately noticed Ianto, who was pacing in front of the desk, Myfanwy watching him almost avidly. Stephen was seated in a chair, his long legs crossed and his back almost painfully straight, Agamotto on his shoulders and the Cloak of Levitation floating in the corner. It was a sign of just how tense things were that the Cloak didn't wave at him when he came in.

"What's wrong?" the Void Wizard demanded, his mind immediately going to the Hales and wondering just what they'd done to make both Wizards this upset.

"You're going to need to sit down for this, Phil," Ianto said.

Alright… "That bad?" He took the chair behind the desk, for some reason he didn't understand needing some space between himself and his fellow Grand Masters. "Hydra?"

"It _is_ that bad," Stephen answered, "but it's not Hydra…unless Catherine and Ruby Hale are somehow behind it."

"Phil," Ianto interjected, "there's no way to cushion this, but we've just been told that Loki's escaped his prison."

The Wizard felt the blood drain from his face. That was possibly the very last thing he'd expected to hear. From what Nick had told him of the aftermath to Loki's aborted invasion, the mad Wizard had been taken into custody by his father, King Odin of Asgard, with assurances that the prison he would be kept in would be escape-proof, that there was no possible way for him to get out. It seemed as if Odin's claim hadn't been as reliable as they'd all hoped.

"How in the hells did he get out?" Phil demanded, his voice hoarse with shock. "And how certain is this information?"

"The details of his escape, we don't know," Stephen replied. "However, our source is impeccable: it's the Queen of Asgard herself, through a friend she has in the Guild. We can't be certain that Loki didn't have Hydra help."

Phil nodded. He knew for a fact that Daniel Whitehall had, somehow, gotten access to Loki, to question him about the events of the duel between the Asgardian and the Dark One. Hale would have known how to go about doing the same. The Wizard could very easily see either of the Hales doing this, as a way to get revenge on Phil himself for being the primary one responsible for wrecking Hydra's plans.

Then his mind began putting certain things together. "This is why there's an emergency meeting of the Barons taking place in a couple of hours."

Stephen nodded. "Her Majesty was going to send Prince Thor to the Council, to warn the Barons. I take it Baron Nick received notification while you were at Castle Triskelia?"

Phil nodded. "Just before Melinda called me to let me know you were both here."

Oh, this wasn't good, not at all. If it had been just him still, he wouldn't have worried overly much about Loki; after all, this time he would have known what to expect, and could have handled him readily the moment the Asgardian attempted to challenge him. He wasn't saying that from arrogance this time, but from a position of power, his place within the Void's favor certain. As Void Champion – which was now common knowledge within the Guild – he truly was the most powerful one of his Order in the world. It also helped that he knew quite a few of Loki's tricks now, and would have been more prepared to face the Asgardian.

No, this time there was Daisy and Crystal to consider. If Loki found out about them, which he would at least Daisy if Hydra _had_ been involved in the escape, the mad Wizard could very easily try to use them for his own ends, and Phil would do anything to keep both his girls safe. He would need to tighten the protections on them both, to make sure they couldn't be found easily.

And then there was Clint, who'd suffered the worst at Loki's hands, who'd been put under his control and used to murder innocents. Phil knew for a fact that Clint still had nightmares of that time; hells, he'd awakened his lover from one just the other night. What Loki had done to Phil was bad enough, but Clint…that was inexcusable. It was something that Phil very much wanted to avenge.

He knew the moment Natasha found out, she would feel the same.

And Clint, who would most likely take a great deal of pleasure in putting an arrow through Loki's eye socket.

Not that he intended on letting his lover get that close. Now that Phil had found him again, there was no way he was going to let Loki do anything to the archer. Nor to the family they now had.

Phil considered as well that he'd need to extend protections to all of Daisy's friends. Loki wouldn't be above striking at the people close to them, and the Wizard considered all of his daughter's 'gang' as a part of his extended family. He was going to be busy the next several hours, getting things prepared.

"I need a drink," he muttered. He usually didn't go for the wine like this, but circumstances…

He stood and practically stalked over to the small credenza he kept for just this purpose, choosing one of the wines that Marcus had sent to him. He offered some to his guests, both of whom accepted.

'We can't let this interrupt our work with Sir James," he finally declared. Despite his very real fear of Loki coming after his family, the Winter Knight's fate couldn't just be put off. "I don't want to leave him in the Zero Cabinet any longer than needed."

"Agreed," Ianto said. "We're going to need to put the word out to the Quorum."

"It's my turn to call one," Stephen volunteered. "Although, I doubt it won't become common knowledge within the Guild once the Council of Barons meets."

Phil nodded. The Court Wizards who would attend would be the ones to spread the word. "We do need to be seen as proactive, though."

"You're right. And, once we know what the Barons intend on doing, we can put our own plan into place."

"We need to come up with a plan, first," Ianto answered dryly.

"I think that plan should be obvious," Phil put in, certainty filling him. "The moment we locate him, I challenge Loki to a duel of magic."


	12. Chapter 12

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twelve

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint shook his head. "I'm not important enough to have a destiny."

He believed that wholeheartedly. The archer knew his worth, knew he was more than just a mercenary; he was a lover, and a father, and that was all the destiny he would ever need. As long as he had his family, he would be content.

"The UnEarthly Child must have thought otherwise," Barney replied. "She quite plainly said she would be seeing _him_, and now I know that means _you._ Which, really, was the clearest she'd been throughout the entire reading she gave me. I knew that was the complete and utter truth, just because of that. And Gods, you're important enough to have a _dragon_, when no one non-magical had ever been gifted one before. If that doesn't make you special, then I don't know what else would!"

Barney had a point, as much as Clint didn't want to admit it. Lucky leaned into him, cooing happily at the idea that he belonged with Clint, and the Elf was just as happy that Idris had brought Lucky into his life.

But it wasn't just the dragon, now that he had a chance to think about it. He was the Void Champion's lover, after all, and it would take a very special person indeed to have caught the eye of Phil Coulson. Sure, that had happened before all that other stuff, but he and Phil hadn't gotten their acts together until _afterward_, when death and separation had conspired to keep them from realizing that they'd both felt the same way before Loki had shown up and torn both of their worlds apart. They'd moved on in their own ways: Phil, remaking himself and adopting Daisy; and Clint himself, retiring from the mercenary life and taking on jobs for Nick. Thinking back on it all, Clint could see that everything they'd been through had been leading up to this, that they never would have gotten to this point without the pain and loneliness that had been theirs for eleven years.

Still, he would never think of himself as someone particularly special. Phil thought of him that way, but the archer knew himself, and knew he could never compete with the sort of destiny that his lover had.

In the end, he supposed it really didn't matter what he believed. This UnEarthly Child had obviously meant him when she'd told Barney about this destiny. Whenever they did run into each other, he would listen to what she had to say. She might have an excellent record in prophesying events, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be wrong _once_.

As for what she'd told Barney…whatever help he could offer, Clint would take with a grain of salt. He still loved his brother, but he simply couldn't trust him. The Elf had no idea how he'd managed to convince Laura to marry him – and a tiny voice in his head was whispering that Laura wasn't so easy to fool, that she was smart and canny and would have smelled any sort of con coming from a league away – but it had to have been good. He had to wonder about their kids, and how they would turn out…hopefully, with Laura's influence it would be alright.

"I can tell what you're thinking," Barney sighed, sounding discouraged.

"You don't know me well enough," Clint accused.

"You're right, I don't know you anymore. But even I can see the doubt you have in my motives. Clint, I don't blame you for that one little bit. I've been a bastard toward you, and all I can do it my best to make it up to you. We'll help in whatever way you need, and then you can decide for yourself if I've earned your forgiveness and your respect. It's up to you, little brother. I won't push. But I'm hoping you won't take me being married to Laura to mean you have to stay away. Cooper and Lila would love to meet their uncle someday. And I'm hoping you'll want to meet them, too."

Clint found himself thinking that knowing his niece and nephew couldn't be a bad idea. In fact, he could introduce them to Daisy and Crystal. But, for the moment, he just wasn't sure that bringing them to the traveling show was such a good idea. He didn't want Barney's darkness to touch them, they'd had enough of that shit in their lives already. The wave of protectiveness washed over him, and he would do anything to keep his girls safely away from any of the bullshit that Barney's presence was likely to stir up.

He was about to answer when the speaking stone went off in his pocket. Startled, the archer juggled his bow into his other hand and reached in to fetch it, activating it with a simple, "Hey."

_"__Clint," _Phil's voice was off.

"What 's happened?" he demanded, knowing immediately that something was wrong.

_"__You need to come home."_

The Elf's heart jammed into his throat. "The girls?" he managed to croak, thinking the only thing that would have his lover so freaked out was if it was either Daisy or Crystal.

_"__They're fine."_

Thank Gods for that. Clint relaxed minutely, aware that there was something going on but at least the girls weren't hurt or anything.

_"__Something _has_ happened, though. We need you, Jack, and Toshiko home. Ianto is already here."_

Clint was on the verge of demanding to know what was going on, but he knew damned well he wouldn't get anything out of Phil over the speaking stone. "Let me get them and we'll be on our way. We were done here, anyway."

He pretended he didn't see Barney flinch at the sharpness in the archer's words.

"Give me a few minutes and we'll be there."

_"__Alright. We'll be waiting."_

With that, the stone disconnected. Shoving it back into his pocket, Clint began to jog back toward the caravan, while Lucky took to the air. Barney kept step with him, and the Elf wasn't sure how he felt about that. He really didn't want to speak to his brother again right now, although he had to admit at least Barney had sounded sincere about being sorry about abandoning him to die like he had. Still, forgiveness wasn't something Clint was willing to give.

He thought back to what had happened to him in the years since that fateful day, and had to admit that, if Barney hadn't betrayed him, chances were he'd never have fallen in with Natasha, let alone the Dark One and Marcus Johnson. He wouldn't have done all the things he'd done, some of which were horrible, but in the end he'd gained the one thing he'd never thought he'd have: a family. A man who loved him, and two girls who actually wanted him as their other father. Friends, and a dragon. His life might have started off for shit, but it had come to this, and Clint knew he wouldn't trade anything he'd done or that had been done to him if it meant changing the outcome.

Alright, being brainwashed by Loki was the one thing he would fix if he could. He would never have fallen into the trap that had led to Loki taking control of his mind. He still had nightmares about that every once in a while, and most likely would for the rest of his life. It had also lost him Phil for a time, and he'd spent those years mourning for a man who wasn't really dead. Not that Clint hadn't known that at the time. Still, he'd forgiven Phil for what had been an act of self-preservation, and he had come out on the other side a man who Clint would spend the rest of his life with.

Barney didn't say anything, which was fine with Clint.

As they approached the wagon, the Elf could see that Jack and Toshiko were waiting outside for him, Laura sitting on the steps of the caravan. Her eyes darted between him and Barney, and she must have seen something on Barney's face that had her own falling just a little. It made him a little angry; what had she expected? That Clint would have fallen into his brother's arms, weeping for joy that they were reunited? The archer thought she was smarter than that.

"We got the call," Jack explained their presence outside the wagon. "Not sure what's going on, but Ianto sounded upset about it." His hand flexed on his sword hilt, as if he wanted to draw it and use it on whatever came close enough. Clint could relate, because anything that upset Phil bothered the Elf, as well.

See, for example, the call he'd just received.

Laura had risen, and she stepped in front of Clint, looking up at him with a sad smile on her face. "Don't be a stranger." She reached out and hugged him. "And bring your family sometime. You'll always be welcome here."

Clint hugged her back. "Maybe." It was all he could say. If Barney hadn't been involved, he would have gladly brought everyone to visit the show. However, now, the chance was they'd run into him, and honestly the archer didn't want them around his brother. He simply didn't trust Barney enough. Sure, Phil could handle himself, but Daisy and Crystal…no, he wasn't going to risk it.

Lucky chirped at her, and Laura gave him a skritch on the snout. The dragon cooed; it seemed Laura had gained a new friend. But then Laura had always been good people, even back when he'd known her when she was a kid, even she's eventually married a bastard betrayer.

Still, she must have seen something in Barney that had convinced her he was worth it. Clint didn't want to consider what that was.

Stepping back, he joined Jack and Toshiko, Lucky wedged between the three of them. The plain silver cuff on his wrist had been enchanted by Phil himself, and he used it to teleport the four of them back to Shield Keep.

The last thing he saw was Barney standing next to Laura, his arm around her waist, apology and worry on his face, expressions Clint had never expected to see.

And the next moment, they were in Phil's casting chamber, and Clint felt as if he could breathe again.

"Well," Jack drawled, "that went worse than I'd expected."

He wasn't kidding. In fact, the only way it could have been worse – in Clint's opinion – was if either of the Hales had popped out of hiding and cursed them.

"Let's go and see what's going on," Toshiko suggested.

That was a good idea. Clint headed up into the Keep proper, and just outside the door to the stairs was Phil, pacing frenetically, worried frown on his face.

The moment he saw Clint, he stopped, his shoulders drooping a little as some of the tension left them. "Thank the Gods. I know I just spoke to you, but…"

"What happened?" It must have been bad if it spooked Phil this way.

In that moment, both Ianto and Stephen appeared, and they each seemed to be nearly as worried as Phil was.

"Is it the end of the world?" Jack asked. His tone had gone dark, as if he wanted to find something to hit.

"Loki's escaped," Phil said flatly.

Clint shuddered. That…damnit, that was the very last thing he'd thought his lover would say. He remembered how he'd wanted to put an arrow in the bastard, for making Clint do what he'd done under the mad Wizard's control, for killing Phil and all the innocents who'd been murdered on Loki's crusade, suffering at the claws of the Chitauri he'd summoned from whatever abyss they'd come from. But Nick had assured him that Asgardian justice would take care of the problem, that Loki would get what was coming to him and, instead of going ahead with his plan of killing the Asgardian, the archer had taken a step back, to mourn for what he'd lost, and to be a better man instead of the mercenary who'd killed so many people himself, although in what he'd always considered a good cause.

He was certain Loki had believed his conquest was also in a good cause. The irony wasn't lost on him at all.

This day had just gotten so much worse.

"Damn," Jack commented dryly, "that is certainly close enough."


	13. Chapter 13

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirteen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

The Council of Barons was housed in a different building, but there was a connecting tunnel that ran underground from the Baronial Residence, which meant Thor and the triumvirate that ran Barony Andrade could get there fairly quickly. The four of them left the residence one half of the hour before the Council was to meet; Thor was impressed at the alacrity with which the Council had been summoned. Before the return of magic, such meetings would have been impossible, the distances too great to travel quickly. The Western Lands had always been made up of Baronies, with no central ruler, and Thor was not certain how such a system had worked before magic had come back into the world.

But then, the country had once been known as the Wild Western Lands, and had been a loose hegemony that had truly lived up to that title, from what he had read in various history books he'd had a child. Being the heir to Asgard's throne, Thor had had to learn the histories of their neighbors, the better to understand other governments and how to cooperate properly with them. He may not completely understand them, but he knew he could, as they say, play the game, well enough to make do.

He would have to make do now. He had never yet spoken in front of the Council of Barons, and he would need to tell his news plainly, to express the trouble that his brother may yet cause. He had no idea if anyone on the Council had been witness to that original attack, of the Chitauri coming in droves to the Western Lands, or if even the original Baron of the place where Loki had done the most damage was still in his official seat. There could very well be no one at all who had been witness, even though it had not been all that long ago, and then Thor may have the most difficulty in pressing his case.

However, he recalled Baroness Victoria's response, and minutely relaxed. She obviously remembered those events, and was going to support his report with her fellow rulers.

There were twenty Baronies, all of varying sizes. The Baronial seat was not always passed through family lines; some were taken by conquest, others simply because their Barons had proved to be unfit to rule. From what Thor had studied, it needed a consensus of the seated Barons to make any sort of ruling on behalf of the entire Western Lands. With this new threat looming, he certainly hoped he could gain that consensus. They would need to act together if Loki had managed to raise the Chitauri once more, as his brother would no doubt be prepared for any sort of response. Thor could only hope that one of the Barons had not been influenced as yet, as that could make things worse within the Council.

The tunnel ended in a set of stairs, leading up into the main building which housed the Council Chamber. The stairs opened out into a large hall made of variegated stone, empty except for a group of six, in earnest conversation, who glanced up as one as they entered. Thor guessed that they must have been two different Baronial groups, judging from the two dragons that accompanied them, one large and deep blue, and the other smaller yet also blue, only in different shades.

One of the men, large and dark-skinned with an eye patch of all things, left the group and stalked toward them, his jet-black cloak billowing about his legs as he walked. The rest of the group stayed where they were, as if by silent order, except for an elder who followed the man who, despite his age, moved with firm steps, keeping up with the other's longer strides.

Baroness Victoria stopped, waiting for them to approach. "Your Highness, may I introduce Nicholas Fury, Baron Triskelia, and Alexander Waverly, Baron Uncelas. Nick, Alexander, this is Prince Thor of Asgard."

To be honest, the older Baron looked more the politician than the younger. Baron Nicholas had the look of the warrior about him, down to the obviously functional and well cared-for sword at his waist.

"Victoria," Baron Alexander answered for the two of them. "Baron Nick was just informing me of the reason for this emergency meeting."

One of the Baroness' eyebrows rose in a tiny show of surprise. "And just how did Baron Nick discover it?"

Thor would have liked to hear why, as well. Could there be some sort of spy within the Baroness' Court? They _had_ been in the open Court, so anyone may have overheard their discussion. That did not bode well for the secrecy of his errand.

Baron Nicholas smirked. "It's like you've totally forgotten that Phil Coulson is my best friend. The moment he found out from whatever spy Queen Frigga has in the Guild, he called me. After all, he was present when you called our little coffee meeting. He knew it was happening and did the math."

Thor bristled at that. "Nay, Master Erik is no spy. He is a friend to Asgard…and to myself and my mother, that is all. When we decided on this course of action, Mother offered to contact him. We… understand that Loki has some…personal business…with a high-ranking member of the Guild over Loki's attack and eventual defeat years ago. It was only right that we inform them as well."

The Baron's face immediately lost whatever humor he had been finding in this situation. "If you know _that_, then your friend has broken the Oath of the Guild, and could be facing some pretty serious punishment for it. I would suggest you keep that to yourself, or else."

He had not known that Erik had broken an oath to his Guild brothers and sisters by informing Mother of what had occurred with Loki and this Wizard. "I apologize, I am ignorant of the laws of your Wizard's Guild."

"But," Master Richard cut in, "_you_ know about it, Baron." In the time that Thor had known the Wizard, he'd seen the man be irreverent and amusing. This dark glare was an expression he'd not yet seen on the man's face, and was a surprise.

"That's because," he rolled his single eye, "I was in Barony Shandling during Loki's original incursion. I was on the front lines of battle. I am _intimately_ familiar with what occurred there. I even testified against Loki when we tried him _in_ _absentia_, since he'd already been extradited back to Asgard by that point."

The prince was actually gratified that there was someone else who had been a witness to his brother's predations. That would make convincing the Council that much easier. "Then you would be willing to also testify today, if the Barons choose not to accept my word on the matter." It bothered him to ask, as he was the Crown Prince of Asgard and should have been taken at his word, but he did understand that these people did not know him, and may choose to doubt that Loki would pose that much of a threat, if there had been no one on the current Council of Barons who could recall those past events.

"Was planning on it no matter what way the Barons were leaning."

"As was I," Baron Alexander added. "While I was not at ground zero, as it were, I do recall events at Barony Shandling, and even sent troops to the former Baron Jerald's aid. My Knights' Commander was among my regular Knights at the time, and is also willing. You will find, Your Highness, that you'll have quite a few allies on the Council."

"Excellent. Thank you all."

"As for this so-called Wizard, that Loki has a grudge against," Baron Alexander continued, "I am afraid I shall need to correct that assumption at once. Loki did, indeed, face a rather powerful Wizard in a duel during his attack upon Barony Shandling, but he managed to kill the Wizard in question."

"Alexander's right," Baroness Victoria confirmed. "The Dark One is dead. In that, Loki actually did us all a favor."

"This Wizard is truly dead then?" Thor inquired, confused. Mother had claimed that the Wizard Loki had fought had survived, and yet…these people, who would know, were claiming that he was dead.

"Well, unless Loki faced another Wizard," Baron Nicholas drawled, "one we don't know about."

That…did not make sense. Mother had been so certain, and she had gotten her information from Erik Selvig, who would have had no reason to lie. However… "Dark One?"

"Yeah," Baron Nicholas said, "the Dark One was one of the evilest Wizards ever to walk the planet. He was responsible for swathes of death and destruction across the Western Lands…and some other countries as well, although as I've come to understand, his actions at Buda-Pest are now in question."

"The Baron's right about that," Master Richard said. "The Dark One is dead. The Quorum declared it. And Buda-Pest turned out to be a hornet's nest that the Guild had no idea about, and during that mess the Dark One did the entire _world_ a favor. There was some nasty business going on there, and it's best it was nipped in the bud. Now, I'm not saying the Guild would have gone the same route as wiping a whole city off the map, but sometimes it's best that the rules be gotten rid of, for the greater good."

Baroness Victoria was giving her Wizard a hard look. "You didn't think it would be a good idea to inform me that the investigation into Buda-Pest had been reopened?"

He shrugged. "Quorum business, Your Grace. The only reason I'm saying this much is because Baron Nicholas knows. I really can't tell you anything else."

"Why is it your business anyway, Victoria?" Baron Nicholas demanded. "Buda-Pest is on the other side of the world."

"Because," she answered, "if one thing about the Dark One's rampage is incorrect, then how much more is also wrong?"

"Point." Baron Nicholas nodded in acquiescence.

"The Quorum does have its own investigation," Master Richard hastened to say. "But I can't go into any detail about it."

Thor decided that, while interesting, this was not necessary to current events. "This is all well and good; however, my brother is out there, and we must warn your fellows. While I admit to curiosity about this so-called Dark One and what happened between him and Loki, this is in the past and Loki needs to be stopped in the present."

"You're right, Your Highness," Baroness Victoria said. "Let us gather our people and head in, shall we?"

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Baron Nicholas agreed. He stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly, catching the attentions of the others, who had remained in conversation not that far away.

The woman in a dark blue that matched her dragon rolled her eyes at him. "Gods, Nick. Did you have to do that?"

Thor was a bit surprised by her familiarity, but Baron Nicholas did not seem to be. "Gotta get your attention some way, Maria. You and Steve get to come and be bored with me while the Barons bitch at each other. I should have brought snacks."

The tall blond man – obviously Steve, from his reaction – snorted, and yet he still remained dignified in the armor he wore as if it was a second skin, his black tabard belted at his waist with his sword belt. A warrior, one that Thor could see would have been a formidable opponent in glorious battle…or at the prince's side, as an equal in strength and ability. The dark-haired man, also a well-seasoned warrior in his plate mail, simply clapped Steve on the shoulder and said, chuckling, "At least my Baron is a bit less likely to piss anyone off."

"It's never boring, Napoleon."

"I think boredom isn't all that bad, my friend."

Together, the pair headed down the hall, Sir Katherine joining them and picking up the thread of the conversation. The Wizards followed, with Master Richard with them, dragons accompanying them, leaving the Barons, Baroness, and Thor himself.

He was a little concerned that there did not seem to be anyone else in the area.

"They'll be in the Council chamber," Baroness Victoria assured him.

"I was only here waiting on you all to arrive," Baron Nicholas added. "Alexander and his team got here just as I did." One side of his lips curled upward in a smirk. "Although I'm willing to bet Stark and his people aren't here yet."

"Stark is Tony Stark, Baron Ferrous," Baron Alexander explained to Thor. "He has a tendency to be late to these things. He'd be later if not for his wife, Mistress Virginia, and his Knights' Commander, Sir James Rhodes. Those two are the only ones who can keep Baron Tony to any sort of schedule."

Baroness Virginia nodded. "And yet, for all of that, Tony is one of the better of us. What he's done for his Barony is as close to miraculous as someone not a Wizard could get, on par with what you were able to accomplish, Nick…"

Thor listened avidly as they made their own way toward the Council Chamber, wishing to know more about the people was going to need to deal with if they were going to locate Loki…


	14. Chapter 14

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fourteen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil couldn't help but pace. He'd been doing it almost non-stop since he'd gotten the news about Loki.

He could feel the Void churning under his skin, but it wasn't fighting to be set loose. He'd been truthful when he'd explained it to Wanda, that her magic shouldn't be so overpowering that it was a struggle to keep it under control.

However, he'd been a little understating when he'd claimed that the magic should feel as if it was resting…well, that was more in his own case. The Void was such a part of him now that it was as if it was his very blood and bone, melded to him in such a way that it was like tidal forces within his body, cresting and falling like the very beating of the Void's own heart.

Yet, he never would lose control of it. Yes, it may prod him in the direction it felt he needed to go, pointing out those things that it knew about him that he wasn't aware of as yet. But there would never be that sort of chaotic outburst that Daisy, and now Wanda, would experience. The Void was his, just as he was the Void's. And he wasn't certain he could completely explain such a symbiotic relationship if he tried.

Oh, Ianto would understand. Phil was positive that the Deep Ways were the same with him, as the Void was with Phil. But anyone else wouldn't be able to grasp just how much the Void was part of him now, not even other Void Wizards. Everyone else was aware of how the Void was a part of them, and to remove it would kill them as surely as being stabbed in the heart.

With Phil, though, not even being stabbed in the heart would do it. He'd even come back from being killed by Vibranium, which was a feat unto itself.

He could hear Ianto and Stephen talking quietly, and he caught the name, Ross, but he really wasn't paying much attention. He knew they were at the tail end of their investigation of the Great Wizard, and what had been discovered had been shocking. Phil had sat in on the briefings; as Ross was a Great, Stephen had taken point on the inquiry. And, with the testimony of Ross's own daughter, now that the threat of Bruce Banner being cursed by her father was no longer being held over her head, she had become a font of information.

Jack and Toshiko were also present. They'd come with Clint, as they'd been on their mission together. The moment Phil had seen Clint, he'd known something had happened, but he'd been so relieved that his lover was home that he hadn't asked. And, when he'd given his news, Phil had known that he'd just dumped one more thing on Clint's shoulders, one more thing he hadn't needed, but that he would bear as best he could. He would ask what was wrong later, in the privacy of their own bed, where he could hold Clint through whatever explanation he would give.

His eyes sought Clint's. His lover was seated on the floor, surrounded by dragons. Lucky had pride of place, with his head on Clint's knee, while Lola was on the other side, her own eyes tracking her Wizard with concern swimming within them. Agamotto had curled around the Elf's shoulders, while Myfanwy sprawled next to Lola, close enough to touch yet far enough away to keep from encroaching onto Lucky's personal territory. It had been as if the dragons had all somehow known that Clint was upset by more than Loki being on the loose again, and wanted to comfort him.

It was adorable, but Phil wasn't in the correct state of mind to appreciate it.

Crystal wasn't in the room; Andrew was keeping her and Lockjaw occupied in the little girl's room, reading to her. Phil was grateful for his friends, because he really didn't want her to see him so upset. It would only upset her in turn, and the last thing the Wizard wanted to do was that. She'd had enough of that sort of thing in her young life already, and Crystal would only believe that she was somehow the source of it. She was getting better about that sort of thing, but they had a long way to go before she wouldn't immediately think that she'd been bad if either Phil, Clint, or Daisy had something on their minds that they were having a hard time dealing with.

He went back to pacing, his thoughts going over the preparations he was going to have to make in order to protect his family from Loki. Clint and Daisy already had Disguising charms on them, to protect them from being directly Scryed for; as did Phil himself. Hydra had managed to Scry for Daisy already, and he wasn't about to risk that occurring again.

He thought he should do the same for Crystal, even though Hydra wouldn't have had any contact with his newest daughter. Perhaps he was being overly cautious, but he'd learned that there really was no such thing. He wanted both his children safe, and he would do everything in his power to protect them.

He should also extend that protection to Daisy's friends. Hydra had known Daisy very well through Grant Ward, so they would also know who she hung around with. He would need to apply for permission from their parents in order to do that, but Phil didn't think that would be a problem. Any parent would want to make certain that their child had everything they'd need to stay safe, and the spells and charms Phil knew would do that.

Shit, he still needed to call Daisy, but she would be safe at the Wizard School. After her kidnapping by Grant Ward, the headmaster, Ian Chesterton, had gone over the wards around the grounds, tightening them up and making certain that no one unauthorized to be there wouldn't be able to just teleport in. Phil had a great deal of respect for the headmaster and his wife, Mistress Barbara Wright, and knew they would do anything they could to protect their students.

He would arrange for Daisy to bring everyone here later. For now, he had to wait.

Which was something he usually didn't mind; he could be very patient indeed. But, in this circumstance, was just too hard to do.

He let his mind go over the Keep's own wards, feeling them for any weakness and bolstering them up even where there wasn't anything wrong with them. He was so very glad he'd kept the UnPlotable spell up; he'd been planning on taking it down, now that he was more present in Wizard politics and there would be times when the Keep would need to be visited, but had decided not to while any member of Hydra was out there in the world. Gods was he glad he'd listened to his instincts in that regard. The last thing he wanted was for Loki to find him there, if the Asgardian somehow discovered his survival.

If Hydra _was_ somehow involved in Loki's escape, then chances were he was very much aware that the Dark One had lived. Phil had no doubt that this was the case. Daniel Whitehall had gotten in to see the mad Wizard; Catherine Hale had to have known how to do it as well. Besides, this would have been an excellent plan to distract Phil, the Wizard's Guild, and the Council of Barons, to force them to use all their resources in locating Loki and leaving Hale and her daughter to do whatever they wanted.

He stopped in his tracks.

Of course.

Phil voiced his concerns that Loki was simply a distraction. "Hale must have something else planned. Something that she needs us off her trail for long enough to put into action."

Jack was nodding. If anyone would understand his assumptions, it would be the Deathless, with his centuries of experience. "That makes sense. We've been using every resource we have available in order to track down the Hales."

"And now," Clint concluded from his place on the floor, "those same resources are going to be pulled off the hunt and attention put on Loki."

Ianto cursed. "And we've played into her hands."

"We have no choice." Jack shrugged. "Of the two, everyone will see that Loki is the bigger threat. We have no proof that the Hales are even up to _anything_, where Loki is the most obvious danger."

"Already there are some in the Guild who think the Hydra threat is past," Stephen added. "They don't believe that the Hales being at large are a concern any longer."

"Only the Voids seem to really care," Phil said. "We want to clean our house completely, and that means locating both of them and putting them into cells where they belong. The problem with that is, the Voids only make up a quarter of the entire Guild. If the Cardinals joined us, then that would still give us only half…" That was the problem with having a Balance…the Greats, who were supposed to be that balance between the Cardinals and the Voids, would always make up about half of the Guild membership, having the same number of members as both Cardinals and Voids combined.

Thank the Gods that only a small number of Greats held to the ancient writings that claimed Cardinals and Voids were unnatural for what they could do. If it had been the entirety of Great Order…

That had been what had doomed Cardinal and Void, far in the past, before magic had been cut off from the world. The Greats had believed the rhetoric of a few, more radical, of their number, and it had doomed the Cardinals and Voids to extermination.

It was why they needed to fight that sort of thing from occurring again. It was going to be Phil's life's work, to stop the prejudice and misunderstanding held by certain Greats, until all Wizards could stand together as family. And he would do this even if it meant his final death.

"It only takes one zealot to roll the stone of belief," Toshiko replied. "Whole movements have begun with only a single person preaching their own version of truth to receptive ears."

"That…is quite poetic," Stephen commented.

She smiled, a little shyly. "Thank you. But it's no less true for the poetry."

"She does have a point," Jack said. "All throughout history are examples of one person convincing a lot of people that they're right, and whole rebellions and resistance movements have hinged on that sort of thing."

"And religions," Ianto added. "Also, look at what happened to the ancient Cardinals and Voids. They were destroyed because of what started as a single Great Wizard questioning what the two other Orders were capable of doing. Yes, it began as a power grab, but it still affects us to this day."

"Exactly." Phil didn't add that he'd just been thinking that. He didn't believe that it needed to be said, really.

From Ianto's knowing expression, he knew that his Cardinal opposite was well aware of Phil's own thoughts on the matter.

"I have a question," Clint cut in.

That had everyone looking at him, and Phil was very curious to know what he wanted to say.

"What happened to that spear Loki had?" the Elf looked vaguely nauseous at even talking about it.

Phantom pain spiked through Phil's chest and back, right where that damned spear had pierced him, sending him into that first near-death and into the arms of the Void. He rubbed his breastbone unconsciously, remembering how cold that thing had been, the magic flaring from that gemstone that had been imbedded in the hilt. When he'd come back to Marcus, with a child in tow, he hadn't even thought to ask, figuring that it had been taken care of in the aftermath. He'd thought about it from time to time, but had let it lie, believing that Master Phil Coulson wouldn't have shown so much interest in something like that and not wanting to draw too much attention to himself in the process.

Now, he had to consider he'd been wrong not to check into it.

"I confiscated it," Ianto reassured them. "After the final battle, the Guild was brought in to take control of any and all Artifacts that Loki had had with him. I got the spear, being the ranking member of the Guild at the time, but…I remember Alexander Pierce wanting to get his hands on it. Now, we know why."

"That would have been a true disaster," Jack agreed.

"Where is it now?" Phil found himself asking. He wasn't sure he sounded all that normal doing it.

Apparently, he'd failed at normal from the glances he received.

"It's in the Secure Archives room, and I'm the only one with the key," the Cardinal Wizard answered. "When I scanned it, and saw just what it could do, I thought it best to bury the thing. I wanted to destroy it, but that stone…it's something not of this world, and beyond even my power to break. Phil, perhaps you and Stephen and I may have better luck, if you wanted to make the attempt."

Phil nodded. "We can't let anyone use it again. If it's too powerful for you, the most powerful Cardinal in the world, to destroy it, then it's not an Artifact that needs to ever see the light of day again."

"Especially since it was that spear that took control of me," Clint said. Every single dragon had cuddled even closer, as if sensing his distress. "At one point, Loki had mental control over twenty-five of us, and he was using the spear to do it."

It was frankly terrifying that an Artifact had that much power was sitting in the Archives at the Wizard's Tower, even though only Ianto could get to it. Ianto Jones was one of the most honorable men Phil had had the pleasure to get to know, and he would never dream of using that damned thing, but that didn't mean it needed to still exist.

"We should do it immediately." Stephen stood. "We trust you, Ianto. But we don't trust anyone else. And, as strong as I'm sure your wards are, I think all of us know there are always ways of getting around such things if the person is determined enough."

This was true. No ward was ever completely impervious; see, Ianto finding Daisy after they'd all teleported out of Hydra's base that first time. The Keep was UnPlotable, but that didn't mean that Ianto hadn't been able to follow her from Golden Gate to Triskelia. Phil had since fine-tuned the wards, but Stephen was right: anyone determined enough could, perhaps, get around them.

There was no perfect protection, and that was a frightening thought.

Still, as much as Phil wanted to go and get this done, he really wanted to speak to Clint first. To ask him what had happened back at the traveling show that had obviously upset him. His eyes met those of his lover, their usual bright kaleidoscope of colors muted, worry and pain swimming in them.

He wanted to say 'no', that Clint was more important. He wanted to take his lover up to their room and just hold him, letting him know that he wasn't alone, that everything was going to be fine, no matter what had occurred to him that had him so bothered.

"Phil," he murmured, "I'll tell you when you get back, alright?"

Ianto's brows were drawn downward in confusion, and the Cardinal Wizard's own eyes were on Jack and Toshiko, who'd been with Clint and had to have been a witness to whatever the hells it had been to rattle the Elf so badly. Stephen was also staring at the three of them, understanding that something had gone wrong with their mission.

"Is this something we need to know?" the Great Wizard asked softly.

Clint blew out a breath. "It's…personal. I'm sorry, but I don't want to talk about it."

Phil would have been upset about it, if not for the fact that it was obvious that Clint _did_ want to tell him about it, just not in front of anyone else. He didn't want secrets between them but, at the same time, he understood that this would always be the case, at least where Phil himself, in his position of Grand Master, was concerned. He couldn't begrudge his lover his own privacy.

Still, he also knew that they would share what they could, because they were the only ones they both could absolutely trust above all others.

Stephen nodded. "Whatever it is, I hope it works out for you, Clint."

"Thanks, that means a lot."

That wasn't just flattery on Clint's behalf, either. He really meant it. He'd had a rough childhood, and hadn't trusted easily; when Phil had first met him, the only person the Hawk had trusted was the Widow. Back then, he'd been convinced that the pair had been lovers, but that had proven to be an incorrect assumption on his part. The two mercenaries had been as close as siblings; Clint being more attracted to men, and Natasha…she'd never really showed that much of a preference in either gender.

No, the pair had simply earned each other's trust in ways that Phil really didn't know even now, although he'd overheard certain things and had inferred others. He would never dream of encroaching into their relationship and, indeed, felt the same way about Natasha as Clint did, only in a different way. The Wizard would never dream of getting between them.

"Then," he said, "perhaps we should head out and get this done. Clint, will you let Crystal know I'll be home soon? I'll also call Daisy, have her come home instead of staying over in Gateway like she'd planned." He also intended on writing letters for his daughter's friends to take home, wanting to get their parents' permission in order to weave as much protection as he could around them. He knew it couldn't be done tonight; there wasn't enough time to get word to their families and then to prepare the necessary spells and be ready to put that plan into action so soon. Plus, he had an appointment with Sir James tomorrow, and he wasn't about to put that off any longer than absolutely necessary. That poor man had suffered enough. He deserved his freedom from those curses that had been laid on him.

Later tonight, after he and his fellow Grand Masters finished this new task, he would come home, and he and Clint would talk. Something had gone on at the traveling show; it had been Carson's that his lover had chosen, and Phil suspected that going back there had raked up a lot of bad memories. He would give Clint his own time to tell him what had bothered him, and they would deal with it, together.

Until then, he had a dangerous Artifact to try and destroy.

And plans to make regarding the bastard who'd killed him.


	15. Chapter 15

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifteen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve walked into the Council chamber alongside Sir Napoleon Solo – _it's Napoleon, please _– and a formidable woman who'd introduced herself as Sir Kate Beckett, the Knights' Commander of Barony Andrade, and he got his first good look at where the Barons of the Western Lands met.

It was an enormous room, and Steve was surprised by the sheer simplicity of the décor of the place. On the walls were what were the banners of each of the twenty Baronies, the cloth colorful in some circumstances and austere in others, all of them unique to the Baronies they represented. Steve recognized them all, from his studies on how the country was arranged these days.

Twenty chairs were pulled up to an immense table, perfectly round so that no one Baron would be above the other, the backs of the seats also bearing the crests of the individual Baronies. Situated behind each of the chairs were padded benches, which Steve assumed were where the Court Wizards and the Knights' Commanders would be seated during the meeting.

Along one wall was a long buffet table, where drinks and finger foods had been set up. Several of the gathered Barons and their companions were already helping themselves; he went along with Napoleon and Sir Kate and got his own glass of wine, smirking a little at Baron Nick's earlier comment about bringing his own snacks. The Knight was certain that his Baron had known this would be waiting for them, knowing it for the sarcasm he was getting to understand was Baron Nick's default manner of dealing with people.

Sir Kate laughed, which changed her face from stern to downright beautiful. "And, as usual, Baron Tony is the last to arrive. Sometimes I think he just likes to make dramatic entrances."

From what Steve had seen from his stay at Ferrous Castle, he would believe that.

"You must be the new Knights' Commander of Triskelia," a voice came up behind Steve, who really didn't like anyone in his blind spot, but figured these people all knew each other and it would be relatively safe in allowing that sort of thing here.

The man who'd approached was a little taller than Steve, with dark hair and brown eyes that twinkled in good humor. He had a welcoming smile, and a dimple in his chin, handsome and wide-shouldered. His armor had red and blue accent scale work, a blue tabard covering it front and back, his sword in a leather sheath that had also been dyed red and blue.

He held out a gauntleted hand. "Sir Ray Palmer, Knights' Commander of Barony of the Waves."

Steve accepted the handshake; Sir Ray seemed to perform it with his entire body, he was just that exuberant. "Sir Steve Rogers, Barony Triskelia…as you've already guessed."

Sir Ray's eyebrows went up. "You were named after the mythical Paladin of the Western Lands! That's fantastic!" If Steve had believed him exuberant before, this was bordering on excitable puppy territory.

"Sir Ray," Napoleon chided, in good humor, "I think you're going to shake Steve's shoulder out of its socket."

"Oh, right. Sorry." The man dropped Steve's hand, although the embarrassment didn't last long. "Anyway, welcome to the Council." He leaned forward a little. "A lot of us think it's boring, so don't be worried if you do, too."

"Oi!" a shout had Sir Ray spinning around. A man stood a few feet away, blond and dark-eyed, and Steve thought he looked a bit shifty. He wasn't wearing the traditional Wizard's robes, instead black trousers, a white tunic that looked to have seen better days, a red scarf about his neck, and a rumpled tan-colored cloak, but the traditional wand and dagger combination was on his belt. The dragon standing beside him was another giveaway that this man was a Wizard; it was about the same size as Lola, only black as pitch, with golden eyes that whirled in the way dragon's eyes did.

"Baroness Sara is looking for you, mate," the Wizard called, his accent pegging him being from the United Kingdom. "Better get a shift on." His dark eyes were examining Steve closely, and Steve met his gaze, not backing down.

That earned him a playful smirk, along with a heated gaze that had Steve blushing a little.

There went his dignity. It wasn't fair.

Sir Ray was grinning. "Excuse me, but duty calls. It was nice to meet you!" With that cheerful farewell, the Knight joined his Wizard companion, the pair of them heading toward a blonde woman dressed all in white, who looked like she could kick the ass of everyone in the room.

"Sir Ray is one of the more…exuberant members of our group," Napoleon chuckled. "And Master John Constantine – the Wizard – will bed anyone who's willing. If he bothers you, just tell him to stop and he'll respect it."

Steve considered that. He thought of Jack, who seemed to flirt as easily as breathing. And yet, Steve could tell that it was a part of him, and that he'd never go any further than that, because it was very obvious how in love with Ianto he was. He had to wonder if Master John was the same, if it was simply reputation taken from visual actions. He supposed it didn't matter. The Wizard could be as promiscuous as they came, and yet he wouldn't let that color Steve's respect – or lack of, since he didn't know the man at all so it could yet go either way – once he got to know him.

He had a feeling he was going to get to know pretty much everyone in this room pretty well, at some point.

"There's a rumor," Napoleon confided, "that Grand Master Phil is considering Master John for the new Head of Void Order for the Western Lands."

Sir Kate's eyebrows rose. "That…should surprise me, but it doesn't. Master John likes to put on a front, but he'd very powerful. I understand there's some tragedy in his past, one that he doesn't talk about. But, if that was enough to disqualify anyone from a position of responsibility around here, I doubt most of us would be present at the moment."

Steve had to agree with that, albeit silently. His own past was a mess, and he didn't want to bring it up. As far as anyone else was concerned, the Paladin of the Western Lands had been lost three hundred years ago. Now, he was starting over, trying on the skin of Sir Steve Rogers, Knights' Commander of Barony Triskelia. So far, it seemed to fit fairly well.

"Have you heard any other rumors about the new Head of Void Order position?" he asked, intrigued despite himself.

Napoleon nodded. "Supposedly, also in the running is Mistress Penelope Garcia, the newest Court Wizard of Barony Shandling."

Sir Kate winced. "She might be better off taking it instead of staying on at the Baronial level. I hear Shandling is a mess. Baroness Victoria says the accounting alone shows that the Barony is nearly bankrupt. I don't envy the new Baron, not at all." She pointed toward a tall, solidly built man in his forties, with auburn hair and a reddish scruff of beard. "That's him. Baron Joshua Gates." She smirked. "No relation to Baroness Victoria."

"I've heard good things about him," Napoleon allowed. "But Shandling is a disaster."

Steve knew the story behind what had happened to the old Baron Shandling, Jerald Stern, but didn't say anything. He was pretty sure these two already knew everything already.

"Baron Nick had it almost as bad when he took Triskelia," Steve did have to point out. He'd gotten all the gory details when he'd first stepped into his new role, and he could only be thankful that Nicholas Fury had come along when he had, and gotten Triskelia back on track.

"I wasn't even a Knight when that debacle was uncovered," Sir Kate shuddered. "I was just a magistrate, even if I was on the fast track for my spurs. What I've heard though…thank the Gods Baron Nick showed up when he did."

"He's become a leader on the Council," Napoleon added. "A lot of people respect the hells out of him for what he's managed to do. He got a lot of that, though, when he originally interceded with Shandling on that adoption eleven years ago."

"Adoption?" Sir Kate asked.

Steve knew exactly what adoption the other Knight was talking about, and said, "Then-Master Phil Coulson found an orphan in the original mess with Loki. He wanted to adopt her, but Baron Jerald refused because he didn't want to lose a magical child from his Barony, considering her more of a resource than a person, from what I've heard. Since Baron Nick is an old friend, he went to the Council and pushed the issue, so that Master Phil could adopt her." There was more to it than that, but he didn't feel like volunteering the full story.

"That…I'm glad, then. I can only imagine what would have occurred if Stern had been allowed to keep a child against her will."

Well, Steve had a feeling that Daisy would have run away, and would have found Phil once more. Just from the short time he'd known them, he could tell they were meant to be family.

Napoleon nodded. "Honestly, Stern should have been removed then, but Shandling was in too much chaos at the time. Removing a sitting Baron at that point would have made it even worse."

If Steve had known that getting a group of Knight's Commanders together was like bringing together the village busybodies for tea and gossip, he would have seen if this sort of thing happened outside of Council business. He had the feeling that he'd learn a lot about the various Baronies this way without having to put in too much effort.

"I'm not late!" a familiar voice shouted.

Steve turned as Baron Tony, Pepper, and a man he didn't recognize but who must have been Sir James Rhodes entered the chamber in a rush. Well, Tony rushed; Pepper and Sir James strolled along behind, appearing quite amused by the whole situation. Happy, draped across Pepper's shoulders in his usual spot, was downright chuckling.

Sir James Rhodes was a tall, austere man, dark skinned and wearing armor as if he'd been born in it. While he hadn't actually met the man yet, he'd heard about him when he'd stayed at Castle Ferrous, after being pulled from the Void, and it had all been good. The Knights' Commander had been a childhood friend of Baron Tony's and, when the Baron had taken over the Barony from Obadiah Stane, it had made sense that Sir James had taken over the position. Pepper loved him like a brother, telling Steve once that, if not for the man she called Rhodey, Baron Tony might not have survived past childhood.

Steve didn't ask what she'd meant by that. He gathered it was somewhat private.

"We should get started, then," Baroness Victoria proclaimed. She'd been speaking with Baron Nick, Prince Thor, and another man, older, with greying hair and bushy mustache, compactly built, with the vague facial cast of someone from the Southern Confederacies and yet was obviously yet another Baron.

That had all of the Barons and Baronesses heading for their seats, and Steve circled around the table to take the bench just behind Baron Nick, Mistress Maria joining him with Iliad curling up at her feet. The only ones who remained standing were Baroness Victoria, and the Prince from Asgard, who planted his feet and held his posture proudly, just behind the bench where Sir Kate and Master Richard were sitting, the Wizard's own dragon also laying on the floor, although the Wizard had seemingly conjured a cushion for his dragon to lay on.

"You called us here, Victoria," one of the Barons said politely. Steve noticed the colors of the man's clothes, matched them with the corresponding banner, and figured out that this was the Baron Torando. He was handsome, with intelligent brown eyes, and he was watching Baroness Victoria intently.

"Yes, Baron William," she answered gracefully, "and thank you all for coming at such short notice."

"What's going on?" the Baroness of the Waves demanded, although it wasn't rude. These were people used to giving orders, and of course that would be an accepted way of address within the Council.

"I've received some disturbing news that I believe you all need to know. I would like to introduce you all to Prince Thor of Asgard. I will cede the floor to him." With that, Baroness Victoria took her seat, as the prince stepped forward, his face grave.

"I thank you for gathering so quickly," the Prince began, his voice serious and ringing from the rafters. "I bring news from Asgard. Loki has escaped his prison and is loose once more."

That caused an uproar. Steve had gotten a history lesson regarding Loki of Asgard, and how he'd cut a swath of destruction across Barony Shandling with the demons he'd summoned to aid him in his attempt at conquest. He'd been stopped by a superior force from the surrounding Baronies, and it had been by the skin of everyone's collective teeth.

Joshua Gates, the new Baron Shandling, stood. "What's being done to find him?"

"My Mother, Queen Frigga, has gone to the Wizard's Guild, to see if there may be a way to discover him through magic. However, that may fail as Loki is much adept with all forms of deception."

"So," Baron Joshua surmised, "we have no idea where he is, and are pretty much stuck with waiting to see what his next move will be." He was understandably angry; after all, it had been his Barony that had suffered the worst in Loki's attack, and was in such horrible shape after Baron Jerald that there was practically no way it could defend itself on its own.

Steve wondered what the man had been doing during that original attack. Had he been in the battle itself? Or somewhere else, and only had secondhand knowledge of the actual fight itself?

He didn't think it mattered, because this was a man who obviously cared about his people, and didn't want them to suffer once more. Yet, he was faced with that again, and the Knight could tell just how upset he was over his perceived defenselessness.

"You'll have support from my Barony if needed," Baron Starling called out. He was a rough-looking man, someone who'd obviously been through a lot in his life, his dark blond hair buzzed close to his head and his chin unshaven. He was dressed all in green, and a quiver of arrows was on his back. His bow was being held by his Court Wizard, a blonde woman wearing spectacles.

"And mine," Baroness of the Waves spoke up.

That led to every single Barony pledging its support if Loki went after Barony Shandling again. Steve couldn't help but be proud of them all, willing to help each other in case of invasion.

"And I am certain the Wizard's Guild will also be of aid," Master Illya added. "All Wizards have received notification of a Quorum, and you can guarantee that this is what it is about."

"The Grand Masters won't let Barony Shandling stand on its own," another Wizard spoke up. He was a handsome man, dark hair and eyes, and was with the Barony Aeternum party.

"Damned right," Baron Nick agreed. He stood. "You all know that Grand Master Phil Coulson is my oldest friend, and he's already assured me that he'll throw his own magic in with us. I also have it on good authority that Grand Masters Ianto and Stephen feel the same way. Loki is a threat, both magical and physical, and if he pulls the same shit he did eleven years ago we're gonna need to stick together until he's stopped once and for all."

Steve felt a swell of pride. This was the man who'd offered him a position in his court on the word of Phil Coulson alone. He'd sworn his oath, and would do his damnedest to lead his men and women into battle if it was necessary. Triskelia was his home now, and he would protect it at all costs.

Just as he would any of the allies he'd be called on to aid.

"While we're all together and the subject of a response to Loki has come up," Baron Nick rose, addressing the Council, "I wanted to talk to you all about an idea I had called the Avengers Initiative…"


	16. Chapter 16

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixteen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto didn't fight the tiny grin as he and Phil and Stephen entered the main room of the Archives, startling the Wizards who were working in the large study room.

He thought they must be an impressive sight, all three Grand Masters coming in together, with their dragons in attendance; they would be the only visitors allowed with their companions past the study room and within the Archives themselves, mainly because Myfanwy had been present from the very beginning and shared the love of history her companion had, and was the least likely to cause commotion. Agamotto had been there many times as well, but for Lola this was her first visit, and she moved at Phil's side with pride, her head held high, looking every part a daughter of the Queen and Air and Fire that she was.

Grand Master privilege, and all that. Ianto wasn't ashamed to exploit that sort of thing sometimes.

It was a bit of a mistake when people claimed that Ianto had been the one to excavate the main Archives from the bedrock of Gateway. It had actually been his time-displaced other self, the man who'd renamed himself Daffyd Jones and who had been the first Baron of Gateway and Headmaster of the Wizard's School, who'd done most of the actual work. Ianto had been busy, out with Jack and original his team, searching for magical children to send on to the school. In those early days, it had been their band of former mercenaries that had been responsible for the majority of the Testing; it had still been done in most larger cities, a holdover from times long past – Ianto himself had been Tested when he'd been a child – but in the rural areas it had all been on their team, until they could train others to take over. After that, they'd gone looking for any Artifacts that didn't need to be out there in the world, bringing them to the Archives for storage and study.

So, while Daffyd had been the one who'd built the Archives, Ianto had been the one to fill them. And, despite not spending much time there, Ianto had also been Head Archivist. That had been on Daffyd's insistence, and Ianto had never quite given up the title. He was still the one who trained any Archivists who wanted to work there, and was the one that his traveling band of Archivists, the ones who went out to investigate most of the newly-discovered Artifacts and brought them back to the Archives, reported to.

However, he _had_ been responsible for a lot of the spell work involved. When Daffyd had lost his version of the Deathless to the Silver Devastation, he'd severed his link to the Deep Ways, losing much of his own magic in the process. Ianto, who still had his own connection, had had the power to put up the strongest of the wards, seeking help from various other Wizards when needed. So, he supposed he _had_ done quite a lot of work himself, even if it hadn't been with the actual excavation.

The Master Archivist on duty, Cameron Klein, bustled over to them, his own dragon greeting the three others with welcoming chirps and nose bumps. "Grand Masters!" he exclaimed, nearly squeaking in his surprise. "How can I help you?"

"We're going into the lowest Secure Archive," Ianto answered. "We don't know how long we'll be, so please make the next Archivist on duty aware of our presence, please."

"I will." The Great Wizard was obviously curious, but he was also discreet; he wasn't about to ask what they wanted down there.

The Secure Archives held only the most dangerous of Artifacts. They weren't necessarily the most powerful; only those that could cause the most death and mayhem were kept locked away. Disturbingly, there were quite a few of them, and it had Ianto wondering just what it had been about those ancient Wizards that had had them deciding to enchant such weapons of mass destruction. If anyone unscrupulous somehow got into that section of the Archives…he shivered, recalling the time he'd escorted the former Grand Master of Voids, Alexander Pierce, down there when the man had requested to see one of the Artifacts. Luckily, the area was warded against any sort of infiltration magic, or spells against removing anything without authorization, else Hydra would have had a field day with the items stored there.

Ianto made a mental note to have an inventory done, just for his own peace of mind.

He led his fellows into the corridor off the main room, down into the depths of the world. The deeper they went, the stronger Ianto could feel the Deep Ways curling about him; there had been rumor that Gateway had been founded on a Cardinal Point, but that wasn't exactly true. The area had been flooded with magic when Lady Rose had stolen the lifeforce of the Nameless Demons, who had been set on destroying everything in their path. When she couldn't hold all of that inside, it had burst forth, saturating the land and creating the Deathless. Jack, who had been butchered by the rampaging demons, had been forcibly brought back to life, and had lived ever since, the lifeforce of those demons bringing him back from death every time.

They knew that, someday, Jack would run out of that lifeforce, and would stay dead for good. On that day, Ianto would sever his own connection to the Deep Ways, and join him.

However, that day was a long time off. For now, they were together, and the would be together for as close to eternity as they could get.

The farther down they got, the stronger the magic became. It was the major reason Ianto had decided to store the most dangerous things down so deep, because it was so much easier to harness the Deep Ways down there in order to protect them. He could see Phil, the pinched expression on his face, and he felt guilty about not warning him that the artificial Cardinal Point that was Gateway would only get more powerful.

"It's fine," his counterpart said when Ianto apologized for the lack of warning. "I was expecting it, actually, so I've cast a few protections that will help. Besides, I'm used to being pinged with the Deep Ways by now. While Daisy isn't on this level, it's still nothing I can't handle."

Stephen wasn't being affected at all, but then his magic wasn't the direct opposite of Ianto's. As a matter of fact, while the Great Wizard couldn't harness what was around them, he was technically the balance between Phil and Ianto himself. The natural magic of the universe wouldn't be disturbed by the heavy weight of the Deep Ways thrumming in the very air they were breathing.

The Secure Archives were hidden away from any other storage areas, for safety purposes. When Daffyd had had the Archives excavated, he'd made certain there was a place where such things could be stored. When Daffyd had retired, Ianto had come in behind him and shored up the spells already laid in, putting as much power behind each and every ward he could. The door that was at the very bottom of the Archives was carved with every single arcane rune he'd been able to locate. The wood of that door practically glowed in Ianto's magical sight; he could only imagine what it looked like to both Phil and Stephen.

The Void Wizard whistled. "Ianto, when you get a moment, I would like to get a copy of that Revulsion spell you've come up with."

Ianto smiled at the compliment. One of the best ways a Wizard showed respect was to ask for a spell that another Wizard was responsible for. "You'll have it," he promised. He, himself, had found the original spell in an ancient Void Wizard _gramariya_, and he had no doubt that Phil would make it work even better than Ianto himself had.

Maybe he should just gift that _gramariya_ to his friend. It was in his personal library, and he wasn't really using it. He made a mental note to do just that, since Phil would get much more good out of it than Ianto ever would.

Stepping up to the door, he pressed his hand to the rune for the Recognition spell. "I'm the only person keyed to this particular ward," he explained as the magic tingled against his palm, identifying him by his personal aura. "I want to go ahead and key the pair of you to it, as well." He hadn't done that to any of the previous Grand Masters, but these two…he trusted them in ways he hadn't trusted anyone else. He wouldn't have been able to explain why that was, just that his instincts were telling him that both Phil and Stephen were important, that what the three of them did in the days to come would have lasting effects on the rest of the world for a very long time to come.

Perhaps it was the Deep Ways, whispering to him the way Phil had claimed the Void did to him. He honestly couldn't say, but he was willing to also trust that little prodding that was showing him that the two other Wizards were perfectly trustworthy.

"Are you sure about that?" Phil asked softly, uncertainly, and it had to have been that he was afraid of becoming tempted by what was behind that door. It would take a lifetime for him to truly heal from being the Dark One.

Ianto hated that uncertainty, even though he could understand it. Phil had spent the last eleven years trying to bury his past, and it had reared its ugly head once more when Hydra had approached him. It hadn't helped that he'd been outed in front of the Quorum, even though that had, in fact, turned out for the best. Phil had claimed that he was glad, that he was tired of hiding, but Ianto figured there would still be times when it would all come back to haunt him.

Like now, in the face of Ianto's trust in him.

"I'm positive." Ianto put his free hand on his friend's shoulder. "Phil, you are so much more than the Dark One, and I will spend as long as it takes in proving that to you. You having access to the Secure Archives will help in that."

"You're not about to go power-mad," Stephen added. "If becoming Grand Master didn't do it, then a bunch of pretty baubles isn't going to do it, either."

Phil took a deep breath. "Alright, fine. Let's do this. You're right, Stephen; even as the Dark One, it wasn't about power. It was about anger, and the need to make everyone else hurt as much as I did. That's behind me now, I've healed, and me having access to the Secure Archives isn't going to tip me back over into villainy."

Syncing the two with the ward was fairly simple; all it took was for them each to touch the rune that signified the Recognition spell, then tweak the threads of the magic just slightly. As Ianto watched with his magical sight, he saw twin strands of Void and Great magic join with his own strand of Deep Ways, until they were a single, entwined line that bisected the original ward.

"There," he said, once it was done, "you both can enter this room at any time without me. The ward will Recognize you, and you just need to use your own Archive keys to let yourselves in, which I'll get for you when we get done here." Suiting action to words, Ianto pulled his own key from his pocket, inserting the length of polished and bespelled brass into the lock, turning it with precision.

Then, Ianto stepped into the room, feeling the wards wrap around him like old friends: Protection, and Preservation, and a Warning glyph that would alarm whenever someone even attempted to get into the room without the proper clearance. On the first flooring paver just inside the door was a Disintegration spell he'd originally come across in a wrecked Wizard's Tower, on his first mission with Jack and his original team, before he'd come to the realization that he was a Wizard, and more powerful than he'd ever known. That spell was also the first one he'd ever unpicked, taking it apart like his father had once done with clothing seams, back when he'd still been alive and had been plying his trade as a tailor.

The Disintegration spell was also the first dark spell he'd ever attempted. He'd hated it at the time but, with what was in this room, it was for the best. These Artifacts were simply too dangerous to risk them getting out of the Archives, and beyond Ianto's ability to watch over them.

There was a part of him that hated the idea of destroying _any_ Artifact; that was the Archivist in him. The Wizard part of him could see the need for it, if it was even possible to accomplish.

The room wasn't the largest in the Archives; but then, it didn't need to be. There were an even dozen Artifacts stored within, and Ianto was familiar with each and every one of them, almost intimately.

There was the Glove and the Dagger, his first dangerous Artifacts, the ones he'd gone with Jack originally to find…the ones that had corrupted Suzie for a time, until Ianto had been forced to stop her from murdering him while she'd been under their control. They'd been created in order to kill Jack for the final time, by a Wizard who'd believed the Deathless was an abomination, and Ianto hated them with everything he had.

The rest he'd either collected himself, or had found in the original Archive at Torchwood Castle and managed to secret away. Every single one of them deadly; together, Ianto didn't want to even consider what chaos they would wreak upon an unsuspecting world.

Locket of Insanity.

Pendant of Souls.

Disintegrator Wand.

Life Flask.

Resonation Flute.

Nightmare Stone.

Spirit Box.

The Eye of Dogon.

Pestilence Sphere.

And, last but certainly not the least, Loki's Spear.

It was shorter than a usual spear, cast from one single piece of silver metal, deadly curved blade taking almost a third of its length. The glowing blue stone had been set just at the beginning of the curve of the blade, the sight of it making the Cardinal Wizard shiver slightly as its magical aura touched his own personal shields.

"I remember seeing that for the first time," Phil murmured. "To me, it looked like some sort of hybrid of Deep Ways and Void, but now that I'm looking at it again…it doesn't belong here, on this world. It's alien, anathema."

Ianto turned to regard his friend. Phil's eyes were awash with Void, making his face seem even paler than it must have gone at seeing the very weapon that had once killed him and taken his lover away from him. The Wizard was rubbing his chest, and it had to be an unconscious movement; Ianto just knew it was above the place where it must have protruded from his body when Loki had shoved it through his back. Lola was perfectly still beside her companion, her own eyes gone black, and she suddenly hissed, her body shimmering slightly and increasing in size for about a heartbeat, then the dragon was back to her usual form. Myfanwy, seeing her friend's distress, was at Lola's side almost at once, leaning against the other dragon in support.

"He's right," Stephen said, his own eyes golden with magic. On his shoulders, Agamotto was also glowing softly, his scales appearing as it lit from within. "I have no idea where Loki got it from, but it's ancient, and not from this world at all."

Then he blinked, his eyes focusing on another of the Artifacts. "What is that?" he demanded.

"I call it the Pendant of Souls," Ianto answered. "It…has the ability to steal the very soul from a person, storing it within itself." It was a solid silver, round, a yellow stone glowing within the setting. Arcane runes encircled the stone, which was where Ianto had gotten the name of it from.

"It also doesn't belong here," the Great Wizard proclaimed, echoing Ianto's original assessment of the thing. "It's as old as the gemstone in the spear and, while I can't swear to it, I'm leaning toward believing that they were created by the same Wizard."

That…hadn't occurred to Ianto. He took another look at both objects, using his magical sight, and considered that Stephen might be correct in that assumption. While they had completely different auras, there was a thread of _something_ between them, that same otherworldliness they both shared.

"And, Ianto," Stephen added, "just how did you work out what these Artifacts did?" His eyes narrowed, and the Cardinal Wizard knew he didn't really need to answer.

Before he'd discovered being a Wizard, Ianto had been Tested as a Catalyst, which meant all he needed to do was touch a magical Artifact to get it to work. That ability had gained him the position as the youngest Master Archivist ever for Torchwood Castle, and free reign of the Archives. His first duty had been to attempt to discover what various Artifacts actually did, and to adapt them for use by Barony Cardiff.

That was how he'd found the Locket.

Oh, he'd known there was something _off_ about the locket, but he hadn't had enough experience to know what that _was_. Of course now, with everything he'd learned since, he could tell the Artifact was actual a very powerful curse, but back then…

Gods, he'd been so young and naïve, filled with the overconfidence that having some small magicks in a nearly magicless world inevitably brought.

It had cost an apprentice their life.

He'd wanted to resign, but Ianto had known at the time that it would have been impossible. That Baroness Gwen Williams wouldn't have let him out of the contract he'd signed when he'd taken on the job. Still, it had taught him caution, and not to touch things he didn't have any knowledge of, until he could do his best to discover what an Artifact actually _was_. He'd trained his Catalyst ability until he could look at something and get an idea of what sort of magic it had and, when he couldn't, it would automatically get locked up into the Archives at the Castle until he could find out more about it. It made him even better at this work than he'd been before.

It really hadn't been worth losing that poor apprentice to noisy madness.

Phil glanced at him sharply, putting it all together himself and obviously coming up with the correct answer, if the gentle hand on his shoulder was any indication. The Void that shifted just under his friend's skin was, in this instance, actually comforting, and Ianto nodded in gratitude.

These two knew what he could do, had guessed that something terrible had occurred, but weren't judging him for it. After all, they both knew the price of their power, Phil more than Stephen, and would never call him out on his mistakes.

They'd all made them. It was the nature of being human.

Even if a couple of those humans were immortal. Possibly, that made the chance of errors even greater, since they had so much more time to make them.

"Let's take care of this spear," he said, not vocally acknowledging any of what his friends had deduced. But then, he really didn't need to, did he?

"Agreed," Phil gave him a small, sympathetic, smile. "The sooner that thing is destroyed, the better I'll feel. And I'll get a bit of pleasure out of breaking the weapon that killed me."


	17. Chapter 17

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventeen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"It didn't work."

Ianto's irritation and disappointment had Jack moving across the room to take his husband in his arms, holding him until the stiffness in his posture faded into acceptance. The immortal understood just what Ianto was telling him, without having to come right out and saying it.

Honestly, Jack was a little surprised. The three most powerful Wizards in the world, and they'd been unable to destroy Loki's spear. It seemed impossible, but it had obviously happened, and now they were all stuck with a weapon that really shouldn't still exist.

Eventually, Ianto sighed and stepped out of Jack's arms. "That was a titanic waste of effort," he groused. "I did manage to get Phil and Stephen keyed to the Secure Archives, give them their keys, and Stephen noticed something about that spear that I hadn't, but we just weren't able to break that thing. And now, I have a horrific headache. I can only imagine how Phil feels, since he not only expended a lot of magic, but he was also blocking out all the free-flowing Deep Ways that are down that far in the Archives."

The headache was obvious, from the pinched look around Ianto's eyes, and the slight furrowing of his brow. Myfanwy, always so good at telegraphing her Wizard's inner emotions, was drooping by his side, her usual bright eyes dull with tiredness.

"Clint will take care of him," Jack answered, "and I'll take care of you."

Ianto gave him a tired smile. "You always do."

Jack had to kiss him for that. "If only you were feeling better, I'd take care of you some other way." He grinned lasciviously, winking broadly, wanting to distract the man he loved more than anything from the pain he was in. Over-the-top flirting was always the way to go.

That had Ianto rolling his eyes, then wincing at having done it. "I should avoid anything like that until the headache is gone."

"Asking you not to roll your eyes at my ridiculousness is like asking the sun to stop shining." Which was true. Eye rolling seemed to be the barony-wide sport of Cardiff, after all. And Ianto was just so good at it. But then, he did seem to get a lot of practice in.

Now, that drew out a snort, which Jack counted as a win. "Come on," he took Ianto's hand and began to lead him up the stairs, "I'll draw you a bath and help you wash those hard to reach places."

"Not going to feel up to doing much else." Ianto came willingly, though.

"Nope, a bath and then bed. I'll also fetch you up some of those headache salts that Eirlys swears by."

"That would be lovely. And, while I'm in the bath, you can tell me what happened at the traveling show."

Jack hesitated, wondering just how much Clint would want him to tell. After all, this was all about family and, no matter how shitty that family was, it could be construed as personal.

That slight hesitation must have been noticeable, but then there wasn't anyone else in the world who knew him better than Ianto Jones. "That bad?" he inquired.

"Yeah, you could say that." Bad for Clint, but not so much for Jack himself. Which was why he wasn't sharing immediately.

He set his husband down on the bed, going into the bathing room to get the bath ready, thinking about everything that had occurred and how much he should share. It was a bit of a thorny problem, full of pitfalls, and he was glad he had a little time to himself over it. Yes, he'd been going over everything while waiting for Ianto to come home, but that had been more of a tactical exercise in working out what was next than anything else.

It didn't take long for the water to run into the tub; thank Gods for indoor plumbing. Whoever had invented it had been a genius. The hot water in their house was a Wizard invention, one which Jack took advantage of at every opportunity; there were other ways of heating the water in other homes, which required a furnace usually in the cellar of the home with the hot water, but in their home it was an enchanted metal tank just off Ianto's casting chamber.

Jack could recall how things had been before both plumbing and easily available hot water had been around, because it hadn't been all that long ago so his memories of it were still relatively fresh. He wondered what Steve thought of it all.

But it gave Jack time to come to the conclusion that, if the Elf had wanted him to keep quiet about it, he would have asked for privacy, and he hadn't done that. Besides, this was Ianto…and his husband knew how to keep a secret better than anyone.

In the end, he decided that Clint wouldn't mind, as long as he just kept it between himself and Ianto. Besides, he wanted to discuss what Barney Barton had been told by the UnEarthly Child because, whenever she made her presence known, all the hells would be breaking loose at any time and they would need to be prepared. He still had a few nightmares about the last time.

He stepped out of the bathing room and into the bedroom, smiling slightly at the sight of Ianto slumped at the foot of the bed, Myfanwy curled up next to him, both looking as exhausted as Jack had ever seen them. "Are you going to be up to starting with Sir James tomorrow?" he asked worriedly, as he helped his husband get undressed.

"We're not putting it off," Ianto averred. "Sir James had waited long enough. I don't want him in that Zero Cabinet for another day longer than necessary."

"But you're not going to be able to do much if you're this tired," the immortal retorted.

"Which is why I plan on going to sleep as soon as I'm out of the bath." Ianto wobbled a little as he headed toward the bathing room. Myfanwy curled up a little tighter on the bed, already mostly asleep.

Jack helped his husband into the large, ceramic tub that Ianto had insisted upon when the house had been built. It was large enough for two, but Jack had something to do before he joined Ianto in the warm water. "I'll be right back with those headache salts," he promised, sealing it with a soft kiss to his Wizard's forehead.

"Hurry back." Ianto sank down into the bath, sighing in relief.

Jack did hurry, racing down the stairs to the kitchen for the special salts then taking three steps at a time to get back to his husband, wondering why they were keeping it in the cabinet and not in the bathing room, where they would be easier to find…then he remembered the time that Alun, one of their grandsons, had once dumped the entire canister into the bath. Even though Alun was now an adult with his own children, it had become a habit storing it away from tiny hands and mischievous behavior.

As the salts hit the water, the scent of peppermint and ginger wafted into the air, the smell tingling his sinuses pleasantly. Ianto relaxed even more, and Jack was stripped and into the tub with him in almost record time, pushing him forward a little in order to seat himself behind his reclining husband, tugging him back into his chest and between his legs, his arms wrapping around Ianto's chest to support him.

"This is wonderful," Ianto sighed, leaning back comfortably. "Now, please tell me what happened."

"Are you sure you'll be able to stay awake?" Jack teased quietly.

"If I fall asleep, you can repeat the story once I wake up."

And so, the immortal found himself explaining everything they'd discovered during their visit to the traveling show: about Barney, the estranged brother that Clint hadn't really mentioned before, and about the prophecy that the man had been given that had brought him back into the fold, so to speak.

"And Laura agreed to get the word out," he finished.

Ianto was silent for a moment, just long enough for Jack to wonder if he really _had_ fallen asleep. "The UnEarthly Child is always right," he finally spoke. "If she says Clint has a destiny, it wouldn't surprise me. He's neck-deep in this already, he's Phil's lover – and soon to be husband, I'm certain – and Phil is the Void Champion. He also was given a dragon by Idris, which you know automatically makes him unique in the world. If he doesn't have a special place in upcoming events I would be very surprised indeed."

That was true. Jack had to agree with his husband's reasoning, especially since he'd come to the same conclusion himself.

"Also, it seems as if she'd known we would be approaching Laura Carson for help," his Wizard continued. "She sent Barney back there for a reason, and I'm fairly certain it wasn't to torment Clint. She may speak in riddles, but there's always meaning there if you know where to look."

This was also true. Their own dealings with her had been proof of that.

"It makes me feel a little bad that Phil came with me to the Archive." Ianto's voice was getting lower, a sure sign that he was reaching the end of his endurance. "Phil should have been taking care of him, instead of Clint taking care of Phil."

"They'll take care of each other." Jack knew that for a certainty. Those two belonged together, and they would be fine in the end.

"And we also put Carson's right in the middle of this." Ianto shifted a little in the cooling water.

Jack felt guilty about that, but there had been no way of knowing just asking for the word to put out amongst the traveling shows would have had the chance of bringing Loki down on them as well, or if Loki already knew about Clint's connection to Barney Barton. It had been a way to search out Catherine and Ruby Hale, and the plan had been for whoever saw them not to engage. Now, the very act of mentioning them, if they had been involved in Loki's escape, had the possibility of putting innocents in the line of fire of one of the most dangerous Wizards to have ever existed. Loki might not have had the same level of power as their Grand Masters, but what he lacked in magic he made up with cunning.

And there was also the very real notion that asking Laura and her people to help wouldn't have mattered, in the long run. That Loki already _knew_ about Clint's past, from the time that he had the archer under his thrall. In the end, getting Clint's estranged family involved might have been for the best, if Loki had been clued in as to his former 'puppet's' involvement with them from the beginning. That way they would perhaps get a heads' up if the crazy Wizard decided to strike, and protect the ones Clint cared for. And that included the asshole brother who'd treated him like trash.

It was why Jack said, "I think I need to go back to Carson's. To warn them, and to make sure nothing happens to anyone." He explained his thoughts on Loki being aware of Clint's connection and thinking it might be a chance for the Wizard to get at them in that direction, if and when he became aware of their friend's involvement in events.

"Take Toshiko with you," Ianto urged. "She'll watch your back."

"I might also call in a couple of allies to help." Jack thought Natasha would help and, even if she couldn't, she could put him in contact with Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter. The immortal had been impressed by the pair. Plus, the Western Lands weren't exactly Jack's territory, and having actual citizens helping out would avoid any sort of trouble, if they were discovered to be operating on foreign soil without getting permission from whatever sitting Baron was in charge of the Barony the traveling show was performing in.

Not that Jack thought there _would_ be trouble. It was just best to be prepared for every eventuality.

"Sounds like the beginning of a new team…" Ianto's words were interrupted by a wide yawn.

"Up we get." Jack chivvied his husband up out of the bath, drying him off with one of the fluffy towels they both loved. One of the things they could agree on where the largest and softest towels possible, both men cheerfully admitted hedonists.

Ianto protested just once at Jack making him stand still while he ran over his body with the towel, but he didn't argue for long after Jack shushed him and once again reminded him that the immortal was going to take care of his tired husband. Jack loved being able to do this sort of thing for Ianto, when the Wizard had overextended himself, and wouldn't ever take no for an answer.

Jack tucked Ianto up in their bed, and he was asleep within minutes, Myfanwy curled up beside him. Jack himself wasn't tired yet, so he headed back downstairs, to make his plans on returning to the traveling show, to contact Natasha and see if she wanted to tag along and bring some friends. Hopefully, the team he would manage to scrape together would be enough to keep watch on the innocents of the show.


	18. Chapter 18

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighteen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy Teleported home, a little surprised that Dad wasn't waiting for her. After all, he'd been the one to ask her to come back instead of staying over in Gateway like she'd planned, so she'd expected him to be there.

He'd sounded tired and discouraged over the speaking stone. Daisy could recall the only times he'd sounded that exhausted, and that had been when he'd used too much magic. Which, given how powerful Dad was, would have to have been a lot.

With Skye in her usual place on her shoulders, Daisy headed up into the Keep from Dad's casting chamber, where she's arrived. The upper hall was empty as well, so Daisy cast about with her magical senses, searching for her Dad, to see if he was somewhere in the Keep.

She frowned. He was up in his bedroom, and the Void in him was weakened. So, he _had_ expended a lot of magic. Daisy wondered just why that was, but wasn't about to go and disturb him if he was resting, which was the only explanation as to why he was in the bedroom so early.

Well, there was _another_ reason, but she knew Clint wouldn't be doing _that_ if Dad was that wrung out.

Sometimes it was really icky to think of her Dad having sex. Yet, at the same time, it seemed perfectly normal, and she was pleased that he'd finally found someone to have sex _with_.

She was even more pleased that it was Clint, because she loved Clint and wanted him for her other Dad. He'd already agreed to it, and had signed the adoption papers in front of Uncle Nick and everything. She just hadn't decided what to call him yet, because she couldn't be like Crystal and use Daddy. That just seemed too immature to the young woman.

Thinking of Crystal…

Once again, Daisy let her senses go hunting, this time for the magical signature of her little sister. She was in the kitchen, most likely eating supper, so she headed in that direction, thinking that Clint would be with her.

He wasn't.

Crystal was seated at the table with Melinda and Andrew, the three of them eating together with Lockjaw on the floor gnawing on what looked like the remains of a haunch of either goat or lamb. The three humans were obviously enjoying a big bowl of something that smelled spicy and made Daisy's mouth water. A plate of bread was strategically placed nearby, and she was willing to bet it was freshly made.

Andrew caught sight of her immediately. Standing, he waved her to chair. "Have a seat and I'll get you some."

"I can get it –"

He rolled his eyes at her good-naturedly. "My kitchen, my rules."

Daisy laughed at that. "Alright, alright." She sat down next to Crystal who greeted her with a hug. "How was your day?" she asked her little sister.

As Crystal babbled on about lessons and about how Wanda really liked Trip, Andrew put a bowl down in front of Daisy, along with a glass of lemonade…which Daisy promptly choked on when Crystal mentioned Wanda having a crush on Trip. Well, she didn't use the term _crush_, since the young woman doubted her sister knew what that meant, but Daisy certainly got it.

Andrew, who'd been sitting a plate with another, smaller, haunch down for Skye, laughed and handed her a napkin. Daisy glared at him without any real heat in it, coughing into the cloth until she could get control of her breathing back.

"You should be careful," Crystal said with all the naivety of a child who had no clue why Daisy would gag on her lemonade, "it hurts when it goes down wrong like that."

"Yes, it does," her voice was slightly hoarse from the coughing fit. "You're absolutely right." She was going to have to watch how Wanda acted around Trip. She wondered if it was Wanda's first crush, and how Trip would react once he figured out…if he hadn't already. Daisy doubted it, because sometimes guys could be clueless about that sort of thing.

"And Dad went out," Crystal added, "and he came back really tired. Daddy's taking care of him."

From the look that passed between Melinda and Andrew, they knew exactly what had occurred and didn't want to say anything in front of Crystal. Which meant it was either too adult for her to understand; or, they didn't want to frighten her. Daisy wasn't sure which one she would prefer.

"Eat your supper," Melinda urged. The promise that they would talk afterward was silent, but Daisy could hear it just the same.

Daisy was starving, but she was also curious and not a little worried. She practically inhaled the spicy beef and vegetables, barely tasting it in her haste to be done and to get some sort of explanation on what was going on. Why Dad would have expended so much magic. Had he gotten into another duel with someone? Had the Hales finally showed their hands and attacked? Dad had been so very tired after his duel with Alexander Pierce; he'd sounded like that again when he'd called her to ask her to come home.

Gods, she wanted to know _now_.

"It's bath time for you, young lady." Melinda swept Crystal up in her arms once the little girl was done eating.

Crystal giggled. "Okay, Melinda. Can I get a story after?"

"Andrew will come up and read to you."

"You bet I will," Andrew agreed. "And I'm sure your Daddy will be along later on to tuck you in."

"And I'll be up, too," Daisy promised. It didn't matter what was going on, there was no way she was going to miss her sister's bedtime. Usually, nights were for family, but with Dad being asleep, it would be without him. She didn't want Crystal to worry, so being as close to normal as possible.

Once Melinda had carried a laughing Crystal out of the kitchen, Lockjaw trailing along behind, Daisy turned to Andrew and demanded, "What's going on?"

Andrew's fond expression turned grave. "We found out today that Loki's escaped."

Daisy turned cold with terror. "The asshole who killed Dad…"

For once, Andrew didn't call her down for her language, as he was wont to do. "Yes."

"Is that why Dad sounded so tired when he called me?" If he'd faced Loki…

"No," he reassured her. "Clint said he'd explain. He's waiting in the library."

"You couldn't have led with that?" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She would have gone to him immediately if she'd known.

"He made me promise to feed you first. Which I have done." Andrew shook his head. "Besides, I think he wanted to get his thoughts in order before he talked to you. I get the feeling something else happened, but he hasn't mentioned anything to either me or Melinda. I'm hoping he talked to Phil, but I doubt there was time before Phil and the other Grand Masters left here earlier."

Dad had been with Ianto and Stephen? Now, Daisy was even more worried and curious than before. But she was also worried about Clint, if he was acting weird and Andrew had noticed. But then, Andrew noticed a _lot_.

Picking up Skye and putting the dragon up on her shoulders, Daisy said, "I'll go talk to him now."

"Wait." Andrew went to the cold box, removing a plate from one of the shelves. He handed it to Daisy; on it was cheese and meat, and he placed several slices of the bread from supper on top. "Get him to eat that. He hasn't had anything since he got back from his errand with Captain Harkness and Lady Toshiko."

She knew they were going to go to speak to someone Clint had known, who'd worked at one of the many traveling shows that crisscrossed the country, hoping that getting the word out on the Hales would bring some new leads. Traveling shows went everywhere, and no one really paid attention to the travelers, except to watch their performances. Daisy thought it was awesome that he'd known people who worked the shows, had actually been in one for a while, but she couldn't help but notice the sadness in his eyes when he reminisced.

Had that been what Andrew had noticed, that something had happened at the traveling show? Daisy thought that made sense. Hopefully, Clint would want to talk about it; if Andrew was right, then chances were he would want to speak about it to someone and, with Dad sleeping off what must have been some sort of magical bender, Clint wouldn't have him to comfort him.

Daisy would just have to be a stand-in for Dad. It was the least she could do for the man who was now her second father.

She accepted the plate. "I'll do my best." It had to have been really bad if Clint wasn't eating. While he hadn't lived in the Keep for long, Daisy had yet to see him voluntarily miss a meal. "Got anything for Lucky?"

Andrew laughed. "Gods forbid I should forget Lucky."

The second plate had a whole chicken on it. Skye chirped in her ear, inquisitively. "No, silly," Daisy scolded her lightly. "You've had yours."

There was a warm puff of breath on her ear as her dragon huffed disgustedly, then laid her chin on top of Daisy's head, dropping it a little harder than strictly necessary.

Ignoring her dragon's antics, the young Wizard made her way out of the kitchen and toward the library. Daisy was a bit surprised that Clint wasn't staying with her Dad, but maybe he didn't want to disturb him if he couldn't sleep? It was still early enough that the Elf might just not be tired yet.

Clint was seated in one of the chairs by the large window overlooking the valley, staring outside and lost in thought, if the fact that he didn't react to her presence was any indication. Lucky had crawled up into his lap; the dragon really was too big to be a lap dragon, but Daisy could understand his need to be close while his companion was upset.

The dragon's nose twitched, and then he was bounding out of Clint's lap, the scent of chicken summoning him like a dog with one of those high-pitched whistle things. He must have pushed off just wrong, because Clint made a distressed "Oomph!" and curled himself up over his lap.

Daisy couldn't help it. She laughed, as she set the plate down for Lucky to attack. Then she moved over to her second Dad, as he straightened up and breathed out. "Damnit, Lucky," he groused. Then he glanced up at Daisy, giving her a wan smile. "Hey. When did you get home?"

She decided she really liked it that he called the Keep, 'home'. "Long enough ago to eat and to have Andrew tell me to bring you this." She handed over the plate.

Clint accepted it gratefully, balancing the plate on his knees. "Thanks. Kinda lost track of time."

Daisy pulled a chair over to sit next to him as he ate. He looked pale, his forehead furrowed as he dug into supper. Usually, Clint had a smile in his eyes – which Daisy attributed him being happy to be with her Dad – but now, that lightness was gone, replaced by old pain. In fact, it looked as if he'd aged a couple of decades since the last time she'd seen him, yesterday before he'd left to meet up with Jack and Toshiko, to go over their plan to visit the traveling show.

Andrew had been correct: something had happened, and Clint was bothered by whatever the hells it was. "You wanna talk about it?"

Clint sighed. "Not really, but I probably should. I was gonna talk to your Dad, but…"

Daisy really wanted to know what had caused her Dad to be so tired, but that could wait since he would eventually be just fine. "Eat first. Then talk. I'm here to listen." She considered. "Want something to drink with that?"

"Yeah." He considered. "Mind getting me some of your Uncle Nick's good wine out of the cabinet?"

"Be glad to." She got up and went to fetch the wine.

Dad didn't drink all that much, but he always kept the wines fairly stocked up, and they were usually the stuff Uncle Nick was always providing. There were credenzas in both the library and the study; that was where Dad held most of his meetings, and this one was a perfect example of her Dad being prepared, as there were two bottles of the wine Uncle Nick enjoyed as well as a couple of different sorts of liquor, including that stuff from the United Kingdom that he liked to indulge in every once in a while. Daisy had wondered why he'd always been keen on being so prepared, since up until a couple of months ago Dad had been a semi-hermit, but he was like that in other ways so she just figured it was a carryover from his life before.

Besides, Uncle Nick _did_ visit quite often. And he was fond of making a big deal out of Dad 'being all alone in this stuffy old Keep and not socializing like a normal person'. When that happened, Dad would just roll his eyes at his oldest friend and threaten to tell Andrew that he was insulting the cleanliness of the Keep again.

Andrew had looked scary when he'd been cursed, so that threat really had been something to take into consideration at the time.

She poured him a glass, then one for herself, thinking she'd probably need it. Dad allowed her wine on occasion, although Daisy didn't do it all that often herself; she didn't want to risk the loss of control. Her magic, even though she had much better control over it now that she was older, still could get a little wild if she was even the slightest bit tipsy. She still blushed at that time she'd gotten drunk at school, and had taken down a chunk of wall in the Novice dorms…

Dad had simply asked her if she was pleased with herself, and if she was ever going to do it again.

It had been a hard 'no' to both questions.

Clint thanked her as she gave him the goblet, and she settled back into her chair to wait. She wanted to ask all sorts of questions: about Loki, and why Dad had expended so much magic, and what had gone on at the traveling show. Daisy knew she could be as curious as a cat, and usually wasn't afraid to ask, but her instincts were telling her to wait, to let Clint finish eating, before launching into him in order to satisfy her natural curiosity.

After a few moments, Clint remarked, "You're being awfully patient."

Daisy snorted. "I _can_ be, you know."

His eyes met hers, and some of the heaviness within them was gone, replaced by a knowing twinkle. "This is coming from the person who isn't afraid to use the Keep's secret tunnels in order to listen in on meetings that she shouldn't know about."

She waved that objection off. "It's not like Dad doesn't know I do it. If he cared, he'd be putting up wards." Which he did, from time to time. Daisy fully expected him to do it more often, now that he would be conducting Wizard Guild business at home. "And it's not like I go blabbing to people what I happen to overhear."

"Point." Sighing, Clint set his plate aside on the table next to his chair. Lucky, finished with his own meal, curled up on the nearest sofa. Not to miss out on a dragon pile – even if it was only two dragons – Skye was off Daisy's shoulders and joining Lucky, draping herself over the larger dragon, sides heaving as she let out a breath of contentment.

"First of all," he began, "Loki. I'm sure Andrew told you that he escaped."

Daisy nodded. She couldn't help but shiver a little. After all, Loki had killed Dad. Sure, he'd come back, but that didn't matter.

Although, she had to admit that Loki stabbing him had been the catalyst for a lot of good. That still didn't mitigate the pain and trauma involved.

"We don't know how he did it, but we have to assume Hydra had something to do with it. Whitehall bragged about being able to get in to see him, past all the wards and whatever the Asgardians had used to keep Loki locked up, just to ask him about Phil and how he'd survived. It's entirely possible that at least one of the Hales used the same way to get him out."

That…that was terrifying. Loki and the Hales, teaming up…none of them knew exactly how powerful either Catherine or Ruby were, so that made it even more frightening.

"Dad…he didn't fight Loki, did he?" Andrew had claimed not, but she wanted that confirmation.

"No, nothing like that. It's just that the spear Loki used to mind control all his puppets and to murder your Dad is in the deepest, darkest part of the Archives at the Wizard's Tower, and everyone thought it would be a really good idea to destroy it, so Loki couldn't get it back. Unfortunately, not even the three most powerful Wizards ever could do it. That's why Phil's asleep; he, Ianto, and Stephen tried to break that damned spear, and failed."

Impossible. Daisy couldn't believe that _anything_ could stand up to the concentrated magic of three Grand Masters.

"It was a surprise to them, too," Clint replied, when she'd said as much.

"What about tomorrow?" They'd been going to start on Sir James tomorrow…

"That's still the plan. None of them want to put it off."

Daisy nodded. She could understand not wanting to leave Sir James in the Zero Cabinet any longer than need be. None of them liked that thing, and she hoped Ianto would be burying that damned box as deep in the Archives as it could go. Hopefully, in the same room the spear was in, if what Clint had said was accurate, and she had no reason to doubt him.

"But there's something else." She didn't want to pin him down, but it was obvious he was bothered by more than Loki…not that that wasn't bad enough, but this was different, it was personal, and Andrew was right…he needed to talk about it. She couldn't say what was telling her this, but she thought she knew him well enough by now to figure out that there was a lot more weight on his shoulders than this.

She'd heard the story about what Loki had done to Clint. That he'd been one of those 'mind-controlled puppets' he'd just mentioned. He still felt a lot of guilt over that, although some of that had vanished when he'd learned that Dad was still alive; while he hadn't said it, Daisy could tell he'd been upset that he hadn't been there to watch Dad's back when he'd gone in to fight Loki. And Dad had admitted that one of the reasons he'd done it was because Loki had taken Clint, and had gone in after revenge and to get him back from whatever magic Loki had used to take him over. They hadn't been together at the time, but that hadn't mattered to Dad.

He may have been in full-on Dark One mode at the time, but Daisy took that challenge as meaning Dad had really cared for Clint, even back then when he hadn't believed he deserved that sort of thing.

So, just from the expression on Clint's face, Daisy could tell there was more to it than just Loki, and Dad's not being able to destroy the thing that had killed him and had taken Clint away.

Clint huffed a laugh. "You are your Dad's kid, that's for sure. I should know I couldn't hide anything from you, either." His face turned wry. "In fact, Phil and I were gonna talk about it when he got back, but that took a step back when I saw what condition he was in. He knows part of it, but not all of it…"

And so, Daisy learned that she and Clint had a lot more in common than she'd thought.

She listened in growing horror as he told her about his childhood; how his own father had been an asshole who'd managed to get the entire family kicked out of Hawk Enclave. How he hadn't accepted the responsibility for it, and had taken it out on his own wife and children. And how, one day, both parents had gone into the nearby town for supplies and had never returned.

It made her realize just how lucky she'd been in not having ever known her own parents.

Daisy had hated the orphanages she'd been placed in. They'd been awful, and not equipped to deal with her, her intelligence and inquisitiveness and her impulsive nature making anyone caring for her want to pull their hair out. She'd run away as soon as she was able, but she'd always been caught and brought back, often transferred to a different orphanage when they'd determined she was 'incorrigible' and unable to follow their strict rules.

Clint's experience in orphanages matched up with hers, but he hadn't been alone; he'd had his brother, and they had always been together. And their running away the first time had been the success hers hadn't, since they'd found a home in the traveling show.

The Carson's Traveling Show of Wonders and Delights.

The very traveling show he, and Jack, and Toshiko had gone to.

It had been good for a while, he told her, his voice full of pain and memories, but one day it hadn't, his brother had ended up betraying him and leaving him for dead. He'd never seen his brother again, until…

Until just today.

When he'd admitted that, Daisy did the only thing she could.

She got out of her chair, went to him, and wrapped him in her arms.

Yeah, she was _really_ glad she'd never met her biological family. At least the only thing they'd done to her was abandon her.

Not like what they'd done to Clint.

He wasn't crying. Daisy was surprised. But then, he was a lot stronger than she would ever be, and was probably used to all this emotional shit by now. Still, having all that come back to bite him the way it had, when he'd been expecting to only see an old friend and to ask for a favor. Not to have to face the one person who should have loved him and protected him, and had done the exact opposite.

And now, Barney was back, and wanted forgiveness.

The young woman wondered what she'd do if her real parents had suddenly come back into her life, asking for her to forgive them for leaving a defenseless infant on the steps of that first orphanage. She thought of Ward, back when he'd claimed that Hydra knew who those parents were. She told him then that she didn't need them, that she had the only Dad she'd ever need.

And now, she had two. Plus a little sister who needed her. Also, a scary ass uncle, as well as Melinda and Andrew, who may as well be her aunt and uncle as well. Then there was Nat, who could be the best aunt of them all, since she was Clint's adopted sister and all.

She had all the family she needed. She didn't even want to see anyone from her original family ever again.

Clint, though, was being faced with the family he'd thought he'd never see. Her arms tightened around him, wanting to make sure he knew she was there for him. That, if her Dad couldn't it, then Daisy damned well would be.


	19. Chapter 19

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Nineteen

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Loki was bored.

When Catherine Hale had come to him, offering to help him escape, he'd believed he would be getting a form of revenge against the so-called Dark One, the man he had believed to have killed eleven years ago at the expense of the health of his own magic. He had been so very certain, until Mistress Catherine had claimed otherwise, that the Wizard he'd defeated in battle had been yet another version of the Deathless. This, he had wanted to see for himself.

If the man truly _was_ Deathless, then Loki would have liked to have seen just how that worked.

He had hoped to be able to find this man immediately.

He had not expected to find himself seeking shelter within this valley.

It was high in the mountains, hidden away from the outside world. Trees surrounded the valley, with a lake that was almost too blue to be natural on the southern edge of the area. Several of the mountains around them were snow-capped, the wind chill, meaning perhaps they were somewhere in the north of the Western Lands. It was obvious that the village that lay at the foot of the mountains was completely isolated from the rest of the world, simply from the fact that the miniscule town was ramshackle and yet self-sufficient. And, in the time Loki had been there, no one from outside the valley had traveled through, not even to bring any of the supplies the residents might have need of.

The village was far too _picturesque_ for words. Loki had hated it _on sight_.

The magical aura of the place was _extraordinary, _however. Loki wished to explore _that_ more closely. It vaguely reminded him of his spear…which he should attempt to locate at some point, as it would prove useful. But this magic, it warped reality in some way that he simply could not put his finger on. It was far beyond anything he had ever accomplished on his own, and it was _impressive_.

Loki believed that whatever magic was within this sanctuary was protecting it from the outside world; he doubted anyone unaware of its location would not be able to find it, not even with the very best Scrying magic…if anyone indeed even _knew_ to search for it. It had something to do with the reality warp, and Loki coveted that magic more than he had wanted to conquer more land for Asgard. With it, his own illusion abilities would be absolute, and not the broken magic that he had had to live with since the duel with the Dark One.

He had yet to find the source of the magic, which he suspected was some sort of Artifact, which was irritating. And he had been _searching_.

When Hale had brought him here, Loki had believed it would only be a temporary measure. That, in a few days at most, they would be on their way to whatever conflict was arising, what sort of vengeance they could enact on the unsuspecting people of the Western Lands. That had not been the case; he had been waiting now for two weeks…two weeks of utter _boredom_.

It was, in ways, worse than his cell back in Asgard, which he had believed to be impossible.

At least in his jail cell he hadn't been surrounded by _children_. He thought he could have more patience if not for that little fact.

Loki disliked children _immensely_.

There were twenty-two of them, ranging from the ages of five and into their teen years. Each of them was magical; mostly Void but with a few Cardinals thrown into the mix. From what he had been able to discover, every single one of them was an orphan of some sort, the majority having been exiled from their families simply because they had magic. They had been found and brought to this place, because it truly _was_ a sanctuary for those displaced and tossed out like garbage. These little ones would have died if the Mistress of this place had not been able to locate them.

The Wizard might have disliked children; however, this made him supremely angry, in that innocents would have been cast aside like that. The anger cut the boredom, just a little.

At the least, Loki had not been exiled from this birth family. He had been _stolen _by that old war-horse Odin, and that did not give him anything in common at all with the waifs living there. Not that he wanted all that much in common with children. Not at all.

He had no idea how Mistress Catherine had found this place, but it did make an excellent hiding place…if Loki had been interested in hiding. Which he was not.

He wanted to find this Wizard who was supposedly Deathless and test that theory out fully.

The issue with that, was the fact that Hale had yet to even tell him where to find this Wizard. Any time he would inquire, she would give him a smug smile and said he would need to wait.

That was even more irritating than the children. Loki _hated_ waiting, not when he wanted something this badly, although he could see the need for patience in other circumstances. He wished to take action _now_. He felt as if he had waited _years_ and was heartily sick of it.

Usually, he _could_ have waited. He could have planned, and plotted, and then struck when the moment was right. However, having been in a cell for so long, and then to be teased with locating his old nemesis, had somehow made him lose that forbearance. He had always been known as a trickster, someone who could stand in wait for the opportunity to strike, but that had changed. Loki wanted to be bothered by that, but found that he could not, even if he had to force himself into that patience he would have, before, called upon easily.

He had to admit, he did admire – a little, at least, as much as he could afford – the woman who had created this place. Her name was Mistress Jiaying, and her magical signature was…well, it was odd, to say the least. Her aura read as Cardinal, and yet there was a strange taint about her, as if she had somehow become corrupted in some deep, fundamental way. It was almost like the Deep Ways within her had been changed; although Loki could not think of anything that would have been able to do such a thing. It was wrong, and he disliked being around her for any length of time because of it.

Still, she had rescued these children, which Loki would have considered altruistic if he was not convinced she was attempting to set up her own little cult. He also thought she must have been at least responsible for the odd shielding around the valley. Or at least had the Artifact that was responsible and understood its usage.

And, he believed she was quite mad. Madder even than Loki himself was.

It was refreshing, truth be told, that someone in the area was more insane than himself.

What he did _not_ understand, was how Hydra had managed to convince Jiaying to let them into her haven.

From the few times he had spoken to the woman – which, to be fair, had not been all that often as there was something about her that made Loki shiver, not that he was going to admit it – Mistress Jiaying had struck him as being very protective of her charges. Or protective of her little power base she had gathered to her. And letting strangers into her valley did not seem like something she would have done without very good provocation. Especially Hydra, which seemed to be primarily Void Wizards with somewhat enormous dignities that needed to be pricked in order to let most of the hot air they spewed out in one large blow.

Alright, he had only met three Voids of Hydra so far, but Mistress Catherine and her Novice daughter were not endearing themselves to him. Mistress Catherine's keeping the secret of the whereabouts of the Dark One most irritating.

However, Ruby Hale was far worse. She had the tendency to whine and complain about not being able to fulfil her destiny as something called The Destroyer of Worlds.

And Loki had thought 'Dark One' was overly pretentious. Honestly, where these people came up with such titles…

Neither of them would explain anything. And, quite frankly, Loki did not much care. The plots of this Hydra cabal meant nothing to him, not when he had been promised the Dark One.

If he was made to wait much longer, he would go seeking him on his own…not that he knew where to even search for the man. The Wizard's Guild was large, and the Dark One would be laying low, even if he _was_ a member of such a body of magic-users. Besides, Loki would have been too well-known to approach any Wizard without an air-tight illusion to hide his true nature and, with his magic damaged as it was, that may not even work. He would need to consider a plan for that eventuality.

Until then, he would see about sowing as much discord as possible amongst the residents and the Wizards there. Then he would be entertained a little, until he could discover a way to pry the information he wanted out of Catherine Hale. If he only he had his spear…


	20. Chapter 20

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Tony rubbed his eyes, trying to get the exhausted grit out of them and mostly succeeding.

The moment he'd gotten back from the Council meeting, he'd locked himself in his workshop, the sudden need to get his latest project done thrumming across every nerve, especially after Fury's announcement about what should have been a hairbrained scheme but actually made a hells of a lot of sense.

The Avengers Initiative.

It had a certain melodramatic ring to it. Just like the bastard who'd come up with the notion.

The thing was, he wasn't wrong, as much as Tony wanted to find fault in the idea. They really needed some sort of first strike team that answered only to the Council of Barons, one that would be able to handle the larger threats that a group of mundane magistrates couldn't. And, as magic kept growing, those threats were sure to come more often. Loki would be only one of many that would crop up.

Such a strike force would most likely have been sent out against the Dark One and his crew, if it had existed back then.

He was still boggling that staid, bland Phil Coulson had been the Dark One. At least he could see Fury as Marcus Johnson, because he was more of the mercenary type. But Coulson? No, he _never_ would have put that together, and he was a genius, damnit.

It hadn't been a surprise when the Council had ratified Fury's suggestion. He knew that there would be at least one high-level Wizard in their group, and Tony thought he could guess a couple of the others. At the very least, Steve Rogers would be asked, even if the truth about him being the long-lost Paladin of the Western Lands never came out. He would also be willing to bet that Fury would put Natasha Romanov up for membership, her being the Widow and all…not that many people _knew_ that little fact, but she was still as deadly as a pit viper and could kick the ass of anyone who stood in her way.

Barton, too, perhaps…he was the deadliest archer in the country, maybe even the world, but now that he had kids Tony kinda doubted he'd accept. That sort of thing wasn't for a family man.

Or maybe it was. After all, when someone had more to lose than just their life, they fought like every demon from every hell was after them. Barton might be perfect, after all.

As for the Wizard…that one was harder to pinpoint. Tony would have suggested one of the Grand Masters, if they didn't already have all the other shit that went into running the Guild on their overstuffed plates, and Ianto wasn't even a citizen so he would be out of the running. He could see Coulson going after Loki, though, after being killed by the bastard in the first place. That would motivate anyone…not that anyone else would wake up from being killed. Unless that anyone was the Deathless. Or Ianto Jones. Or Phil Coulson. Those three would get a lot of satisfaction of kicking the ass of whoever murdered them.

Tony leaned back from the fiddly welding he'd been doing, his spine popping in painful relief. He was on the final length of his work, and he'd need to get this finished as soon as possible if he wanted to join up with the Initiative.

When he'd started this project, it had been all about the invention. Invention was almost a biological imperative with him; the need to build, to create, to make things better for people. It motivated him in nearly everything he did, because while magic was awesome it was pretty well limited. There were…what, about six hundred Wizards worldwide? Pepper would know the exact number, but it wasn't many. All of the innovations that came with magic could only reach a few, no matter how altruistic the Guild was. Wizards, on the whole, wanted to make life better for the common man, but there just wasn't enough of them around to help everyone.

Tony just wanted to help.

But it hadn't always been that way.

The Stark fortune – and the Barony itself – had been built on weapons creation. Non-magical weapons. The original Howard Stark, back during the Century War, had made a killing – pun certainly intended – with weaponry for the war effort. He'd started out with coming up with a way to mass-produce armor and swords and, while the quality hadn't been as high as the individually crafted stuff, it had worked at the time, when more and more weapons were needed for combat and master metalworkers couldn't keep up with demand.

Then had come other sorts of ways of mass destruction. Explosives, projectile weapons…the Starks had had their fingers in every sort of deadly contraption out there. Anything with the Stark name on it was sought-after, knowing that it was the best way to murder the most people with the least amount of effort.

There had been a time when Tony had been proud of that, boasting to everyone and sundry that he was a Stark, and could come up with several new ways to kill people before breakfast.

And then, he'd been kidnapped.

At the time, Tony hadn't really shown all that much interest in either the business or the Barony, unless it was inventing stuff. He'd gotten so far into the habit of rebelling against authority – thanks, Dad – that, when his parents had been killed he'd been completely unable to run anything. His father's best friend, Obadiah Stane, had stepped in, and Tony had been more than a little grateful to him for it.

His genius, though, had earned him his place within the family business, and his natural charisma had made him the best salesman the Barony had. It hadn't hurt his ego any that Obie would tell him those sorts of things over and over, and now Tony knew it was to keep him working and pliant, to make sure he kept up the good work that should have put money in the Baronial coffers, by pandering to his pretty massive ego.

But, of course, the majority of that wealth had gone into Obie's pockets instead.

He didn't know that at the time, though. How Obie had basically mismanaged the Barony in order to make himself richer. The accounting when Tony eventually took over hadn't been on par with what he'd seen with Barony Shandling, or what was rumored to have been with Triskelia when Fury had taken over, but it had still been ugly.

Obie had arranged the kidnapping, convincing the inventor to go on the sales trip to the Middle Kingdoms, to show off their newest technological marvel. He knew Tony, knew his brilliance, and really believed that, one day, Tony would want the Barony back. That had been so far from the truth; it fact, it had been Obie's actions that had made Tony grow up so fast and accept his responsibilities, and if Obie had left well enough alone, chances were, Tony never would have even thought to _ask_ for his birthright back.

So, maybe he had to thank him for that, or rather thank Obie's rotting corpse, for showing him what his responsibilities truly were.

The kidnapping hadn't gone to Obie's plan, because the guys he'd hired had been greedier than even Obie had been, which didn't seem possible. They'd wanted to use him to build a better weapon, one that would take out Wizards. The problem was, they'd had to blow Tony up first before they could get to him.

He'd come to with a magical stone in his chest, keeping him alive.

Thank you, Yinsen.

To this day, Tony had no idea how the terrorists had gotten the stone. Yinsen had claimed that they'd told him they'd simply found it and had wanted to know how it worked, the better to break it, but the genius wasn't so sure that was all there was to it. The kidnappers had been both pissed off and grateful in equal measure, because the last thing they'd wanted to do was to lose their cash cow, but it had taken the stone out of their hands. The stone was magic, and those idiots had been against _any_ of that sort of thing, hence the need for something that would take out a Wizard and not be affected by their power.

Tony had tried to tell them that it was impossible. That magic could affect the physical world in such a way that only magic would keep it from working, which defeated the purpose of having a non-magical weapon.

He _definitely_ hadn't mentioned Vibranium to any of them. The last thing he'd wanted was for a bunch of idiots to go and try to steal from Wakanda. That would have been ugly, and Tony liked Prince T'Challa a little too much to sic thieves on him and his people. They had enough problems with that sort of thing as it was, and it was just damned lucky that their security was so good that any thief after Vibranium was hardly ever successful. In fact, he could think of only one who had been.

Fingers brushing unconsciously over the area where the stone sat under his tunic, the fabric hiding its soft glow, Tony glanced toward the suit of armor in the corner. The pinnacle of his inventing genius, it glittered brightly under the lightbulbs that cast their glow over the entire room. The stone had given him the idea for the armor, although he still wasn't sure exactly what the stone _did_.

He'd eventually managed to escape, and he was pretty sure the stone had helped him, even though he honestly couldn't remember that part. He'd hoped to get Yinsen out as well, but his friend had been murdered right in front of him just before he'd somehow managed to find himself outside the cave and running away.

Maybe that death had been the catalyst for however the hells the stone had gotten him away. Chances were, he'd probably never know.

He'd come out of the kidnapping with a renewed sense of duty. He'd kicked Obie out of the Baronial Seat – and Obie had attempted to assassinate him for his trouble – and had stopped the Stark business from making weapons anymore. Things had been bad in the beginning, since it had caused a lot of people to lose their jobs at first, but in the end it looked as if it would work out even better. There were so many things he'd been able to do, to create new and non-magical devices for the ordinary person, and Tony was truly proud of himself for the first time in forever.

The armor, though…

Things hadn't really taken off until Bruce had come onto the scene. Tony had used a lot of his theoretical equations in the creation of the armor but having the man actually in the workshop had been a marvel. Bruce might not have been a Wizard with magic, but he _was_ one with theory, and the knowledge he had of even the most arcane of ideas had been worth its weight in the gold that he _wasn't_ paying, since Bruce had insisted on a regular wage and not the exorbitant amount that the Baron would have been willing to throw at him.

Yes, he could have gone to Pepper, but he honestly didn't think she knew as much about theory as Bruce did. Even his wife had admitted that Bruce's grasp of magic was even better than most Wizard's, and that was without benefit of actual, hands' on, practice.

Speaking of Bruce… "How's it going?" his friend and brother in invention inquired, from where he'd been dozing on the couch Pepper had insisted be put into the workshop, for Tony to use when a work bender had him staying there for days at a time.

He stretched. "I think I've got the actuators stabilized. We'll be ready to test the armor tomorrow."

"Tony, we still don't know how the stone will interface with the power cells. It might not have enough juice to run the armor, much less connect at all."

"Gotta have faith, Brucie! After all, I built it! Of course it's going to work!" A healthy dose of certainty usually went a long way toward convincing the skeptical.

There was a reason why he'd been the best salesman the Barony had ever had.

"Your ego is going to be the death of you one day."

"Maybe. Probably. But not tomorrow. The armor is going to work. Just wait and see."

"I wish you had your confidence."

Well, Tony could understand why he didn't. After all, being cursed by the father of the girl he loved in order to keep her from contacting him ever again was bound to cause more than a few confidence issues. That didn't even count those thick-skulled idiots who'd claimed that Bruce wouldn't know what he was talking about when it came to magic, since he wasn't a Wizard himself.

Honestly, he was just happy that the positive reinforcement Bruce had received from all three Grand Masters had helped quite a bit. Hells, Coulson and Jones both had even admitted to using some of Bruce's theories in their own magic, and Strange had tried to convince Bruce to come and speak at the Wizard's School. So far, Bruce had demurred, but it looked as if none of them were going to give up on asking.

Tony might give them all grief, but he was really grateful to them for encouraging Bruce to step out of his shell and pass along all that knowledge in that big brain of his. It really deserved to be shared, and not hidden in monographs and papers that no one but higher-level Wizards would ever read…if they'd decided to give them a look anyway, since they'd been written by a non-Wizard.

Sometimes Wizards could be so fucking condescending.

At that moment, the door to the workshop opened, and Jarvis stepped inside. "Your Grace, Dr. Banner, Mistress Pepper has asked me to fetch you for breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Tony was confused. "What happened to supper?"

"You missed it, Your Grace." There were only a few people who could put that much dryness into a reply. Honest to Gods, it made Tony thirsty just to hear it.

"I want to finish this." He turned back to the actuator that was lying on his workbench. It was the last one…which meant he could actually test the armor _today_. Damn, time really flew by when he was in the throes of building something.

He could practically hear Bruce rolling his eyes. "Leave it for a little while, Tony. I'm hungry, and you are too because your stomach is rumbling loud enough I'm surprised people aren't reporting a groundquake in town."

Bruce was exaggerating, of course, about how noisy Tony's stomach was being, but he certainly wasn't lying about him being starved. He tossed his tool down onto the bench, sighing loudly. "Alright, you win. Let's go and eat."

As he left the workroom, Tony glanced over at the armor one last time, his eyes drawn to the hole in the breastplate where the stone would shine through, and thought about flying under his own power.

The armor _would_ work. He just _knew_ it. Then, he could see about showing them a thing or two about being an Avenger.


	21. Chapter 21

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-One

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil had a thumping headache.

He'd seen Ianto earlier, when they'd met up before Quorum, and knew he wasn't alone.

Stephen, though, looked as fresh as if he hadn't also expended magic yesterday, which was patently unfair.

Still, they'd had to meet with the Quorum, to warn them about Loki. The other Wizards took it about as well as the Grand Masters had thought…they'd been pissed off and ready to hunt the rogue down and toss him into a cell.

Phil was so very proud of them.

There were a couple who wanted to know if Phil himself was going to challenge Loki. Honestly, he didn't want to, but he knew he'd be up to the task. He'd learned the hard way never to underestimate the Asgardian, and a lot of that old arrogance had been burned out of him on the blade of that damned spear. Still, he was hoping it wouldn't come to that but, at the same time, had a feeling it very well could, and he would be ready. Facing Loki and coming out on top would do more to cement his place as Grand Master than pretty much anything else, including exiling Alexander Pierce to the Void; after all, this was the Wizard who'd won their first encounter, and it would prove that he wasn't the Dark One any longer. It had been the Dark One who'd lost, and it would be Phil Coulson who won.

The Quorum itself didn't last long, for which he was grateful. Phil really wanted to go home to Clint, to spend a little time with his lover before having to come back and deal with the curses on Sir James, especially after the revelations from yesterday. However, he was stopped just as he was leaving by Master John Constantine, one of the two Wizards he was considering for Head of Void Order for the Western Lands. Master John had been the one he'd been waiting to hear from, so he couldn't put off the meeting.

The first time he'd met Master John Constantine, he had to admit he hadn't been impressed on physical scrutiny. The man hadn't seemed to care much for his appearance; his clothes had been rumpled as if he'd slept in them…which would have been a trick since it hadn't looked as if he'd slept in about three days, with rough scruff on his chin and dark circles under his eyes. Phil had also been surprised to learn that Master John had originally come from the United Kingdom, because he hadn't been expecting that little detail.

Yet, there had been something about the man that had impressed him. He was certainly a powerful Void, although not the most powerful he'd met so far; that distinction went to Mistress Penelope Garcia, his other choice for the position. Master John had had this cynicism about him, that spoke more of horrible life experiences than his uncaring about his personal appearance did. Phil had done a little research into the Wizard's past, and had come up with a lot of horror that no one should have ever had to deal with.

"Let's go to my office," Phil suggested.

Master John agreed.

Phil's office was in another part of the Quorum Hall, down next to Ianto's and Stephen's. When Ianto had showed him where it was, Phil had already known that he wouldn't be spending much time there, preferring to be out and doing things instead of sitting behind a desk. So, he hadn't done much to the décor, except to clear away everything that the former Grand Master had used to personalize the space and bring in some new furniture.

In that clean-out, he'd found some rather disturbing Artifacts that Ianto had gladly buried away in the Archives. If Pierce hadn't been outed as the head of Hydra, Phil would have seriously worried for the man's sanity.

Phil ushered his fellow Wizard into the office, shutting the door and raising the Privacy wards without even thinking about it. He'd added a couple of comfortable chairs and a couch to the furnishings, figuring he'd be at least holding meetings within the office, and had brought a desk from home, one that he hadn't been using but had liked when he'd found it stored in one of the upper floors of the Keep. It was of a rich cherry wood, not very large, but then it didn't need to be. The chair behind it was also from home; leather upholstered and well-cushioned, Phil sank into it as Master John took the chair opposite. Their dragons hopped up onto the couch, which was the main reason the Wizard had added it to his office.

Lola was willing to cuddle up with any dragon she trusted. And she obviously trusted Master John's dragon, Chaz.

"Is this about my offer?" Phil began without preamble, linking his fingers and resting them on the desk blotter.

"Yeah, it is," Master John answered, slouching down in the chair a little. "Look, I'm not sure I'm the one you want." He was trying to be confrontational about it, but Phil could see through the façade to the damaged Wizard underneath.

"If it's because of the things you've done in your past," the Wizard answered, "then I'd be pretty hypocritical, wouldn't I?"

Master John shrugged but didn't answer that rather rhetorical question.

"You have to know I did some digging before I asked you to take on the position," he went on. "I know exactly what happened, and I know you did your best, but I also know you aren't the only one to have ever bought into the 'Voids are bad' lies that have gotten spread around."

That seemed to strike something within the other Wizard. "Then you have to know about Astra."

Yes, Phil did. He'd gotten the story from one of the very few witnesses left from events, and possibly the only one who hadn't been driven insane. "You know I can't condemn you for trying to help, even though it went horribly wrong. If I did that, I'd have to condemn most of the Wizards in the Guild, especially myself. You're aware of what the Dark One did, and I know how hard it is to live with that sort of thing. I can pretty much guarantee you that I did much, much worse than you did. And we're both trying to make up for that."

Master John was nodding. "Yeah, it's one of the reasons I accepted Sara's offer of being her Court Wizard."

Phil had figured as much. "I also spoke with Baroness Sara, and she recommended you for the position." He smiled slightly. "She also said that she expects you to still be her Court Wizard, because, and I quote, 'I will kick the ass of anyone who thinks they're going to take John out of this Barony'." It had made him want to introduce Sara Lance to Melinda and Natasha. He had the feeling they'd all get along far too well. "So, you have her support. That is, if you want to throw your wand into the ring."

The other Wizard looked touched at the Baroness' words. "Yeah, that sounds exactly like something Sara would say. She…gave me a chance when she really didn't need to. I owe her a lot. But, I'm still not sure…"

"I don't even know if the Order is going to go with my recommendation or not," Phil said. Which was true; he could put Wizards up for consideration but, in the end, it would be up to Void Order to ratify whatever decision he'd made. If they didn't want Master John as Head of Void Order for the Western Lands, then it wouldn't matter what Phil wanted in the end. "And I have another Wizard that is also in the running. So, it might not even _be_ you. But," and he leaned forward, the better to look Master John in the eye, "I think you were _made_ for this. I need people in positions of power who understand what it's like to be Void and be the target of prejudice because of the flavor of magic running through their veins. Yes, the other candidate also has that sort of shadowy past that would make them good at the job, but _you_…not only did you carry around the perceived stigma of being Void, you let that stigma rule you until it literally caused the death of an innocent girl. Astra Logue hadn't needed to die, if only you'd gotten the support you'd needed to be true to your nature. Instead, the people in your hometown wanted you to counter an evil act, and you chose a _more_ evil act to do that, because you hadn't seen another way. You'll carry that around with you for the rest of your life. However, you'll also be a visible symbol of just what that sort of prejudice causes. And I _need_ that, Master John. I _need_ symbols, because that is the only way to prove that the Greats are damaging people with their rhetoric. But it also proves that we can rise above it, and be better than what the Greats claim we are." He had Crystal as yet another symbol, and that had swayed a lot of people within the Guild to see what damage words and actions could do; she was a child, though, and Phil would never let her be used in that way. Now, he needed an adult, someone who could actually do something about it.

Damn, he hated having to be as ruthless as all that, even if it was in a good cause. It needed to be done, though. But at least Master John was an adult, and could make his own decisions.

Master John actually looked moved by Phil's words. "I don't think I've ever heard it quite put like that before."

"But it's true." Phil had no doubt that it was, not after everything he'd heard about John Constantine.

"Yeah," he sighed, slumping even further into the chair, as if he was truly relaxing for the first time in years.

In that moment, Phil knew that he really wanted this man to lead the Order in their home country. That he was perfect, in that he _wasn't_ perfect. He'd made disastrous mistakes, and was doing his best to make up for them. That he would be willing to take the steps that would be needed to be taken in order to make things better in the end. That the ruthlessness Phil could see in him would stand him good stead with anything that may come up in the future.

He'd been impressed by Mistress Penelope, but she didn't have the darkness inside her that Master John did, and he had this terrible premonition that he was going to need that darkness before things would get better. He hated to feel that way, but it was as if the Void was warning him to be prepared.

Yes, Stephen was ready to bring charges against Thaddeus Ross to the Quorum, for his unlawful experiments into discovering a way to rid the world of all Cardinals and Voids. In fact, he'd planned on doing that within the week. However, Ross had allies, and Stephen had admitted that Emil Blonsky, Ross' main accomplice, had managed to vanish completely. It was yet one more problem they had to deal with, and Stephen was confident that it would end a large part of the prejudice that was within the Guild.

Phil, though, wasn't so certain it would be that simple, just by getting rid of one bigot. There were still others, and Ross had spread that hatred around, corrupting Wizards who might not have gone along with that sort of thing if it hadn't been shared by such a powerful Wizard. He'd been reticent to say anything, but Phil believed that it could make things worse, putting Ross to trial, because that would give the cause a martyr that may do more harm if he was in jail than if he was free to keep failing with his plans.

Still, it needed to be done. Even if it brought Ross' plans to light for others to perhaps take up the cause.

"All I ask," he said, "is consider it. And, if you decide not to accept, or if you do and the Order doesn't ratify the appointment, then perhaps we can still work together to get rid of the stigma surrounding Voids. Because it's only going to get worse if we don't draw a line in the sand."

"I'll think about it." Master John stood.

"Excellent." Phil rose as well, holding out his hand to shake. "Hopefully I'll be speaking to you again, Master John."

"Nah, it's just John. That 'Master' shite is bollocks, and I only put up with it 'cause I'm expected to."

Phil had to laugh. "Then it's Phil, because I feel exactly the same about being called 'Grand Master'."

The smile he got back was wry and filled with good humor. "I get the feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Phil had to agree. It was nice to have yet another ally within the Order. He really was hoping that John would accept the nomination, since he had a really good feeling about it. They could work really well together.

As John and his dragon left, Ianto was just outside the door, apparently hovering. Phil waved him in. "Did he accept?" the Cardinal Grand Master asked.

"He's considering it, but I think he'll do it."

"Excellent." Ianto sank into the chair that John had been sitting in, and Myfanwy jumped up on the couch to join Lola. "We need more examples of Void and Cardinal prejudice out in plain sight."

Phil knew for a fact that the Cardinals didn't get it as bad as Voids did, but it was still there. "That's basically what I told him in the pep talk I gave him."

"I bet it was lovely. I'm sorry I missed it." Ianto sighed, rubbing a hand across his forehead. "So, are you ready to help with Sir James?"

Phil nodded. He'd almost forgotten about his own headache, in his discussion with John. "I need to go home for a bit, then I'll be back." He really wanted to spend a little time with Clint. He also needed to thank Daisy for helping when he'd been unable to. He was so very grateful to her for it. He hadn't been able to say it as much as he'd wanted to, too distracted by his worry that Loki would appear at any moment and do something horrible. He had been able to work on the protections around her, although he would never be completely satisfied with the results.

He was her Dad, he was supposed to be overprotective. And no amount of eye rolling on his daughter's part was going to change that.

He needed to do some work with Crystal, as well, but she was going to be staying at the Keep so it wasn't as urgent as it had been with Daisy.

Phil also needed to draft letters to the parents of Daisy's friends, asking for permission to cast his own protections over them. He didn't think there would be much argument, but he didn't want to do anything without them knowing.

There was a lot to do before they could get together to start curse-breaking over Sir James. And not a lot of time to do it in.

He would best get started, then.


	22. Chapter 22

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack stood on the outskirts of the travelers' camp, watching as people bustled about getting ready for the night's show.

To be honest, he still felt a little uncomfortable being there. Jack couldn't help the unfortunate connections he'd made between Carson's and what he'd known of the Night Travelers, even though they were as different as night and day. For one thing, it didn't appear that anyone at Carson's was going to steal his soul, so that was a definite plus.

Many of the gaming booths were already open, even though the show wasn't officially letting in paying customers as yet. The immortal could see some of the traveling folk were testing out the various sorts of games, making certain they were prepared for the influx of visitors already starting to queue up to the entrance, milling about impatiently, to spend their hard-earned money on the attractions.

Laura Barton was walking amid the transformed wagons, greeting her people. He couldn't tell what she was saying to them, but Jack was willing to bet she was asking if everything was on track for opening. He'd been impressed with her yesterday; she'd seemed competent and caring, tough yet fair. He only had to question her choice in spouse, but then he didn't know the entire story. Barney Barton had had to do _something_ to prove himself worthy of her, and Jack was interested in seeing just what that was.

As he watched, Laura noticed them standing on the little rise just beyond the encampment. She finished her conversation with the worker manning what seemed to be some sort of ring toss, making her way toward them purposely, intent in her every stride. Still, she was smiling when she approached. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Captain," she greeted them. "Let alone with an entourage."

"Mrs. Barton," Jack returned, giving her one of his most winning smiles. "I hope you don't mind us stopping by." He turned to the people who'd accompanied him. "Allow me to introduce my team. You already know Lady Toshiko Sato, my Second." Toshiko nodded in greeting, leaning on her longbow casually.

"This is Natasha Romanov," he motioned toward the red-head, who was armed to the teeth yet didn't seem to be. Jack was willing to bet she had at least ten knives on her person, because if he'd learned in the short time he'd known the woman Jack had been able to determine that the Widow never went into a situation without heavily preparing for every contingency.

"And this is Bobbi Morse." He knew that Bobbi was there because of Clint; she'd been married to him at one point, after all. While Natasha had agreed out of some desire to stick a knife in Barney Barton when no one was paying attention, Bobbi had agreed because of a part of her felt a little guilty about marrying Clint in the first place, when she'd known pretty early on that she'd been some sort of placeholder for someone he'd loved and lost. They'd been happy at the time, but not for the right reasons, and seeing him now with Phil had shown her that it hadn't been as true a love as she'd thought. Now, she just wanted to be Clint's friend, and was pretty angry that a person who should have supported him had left him dead in a ditch.

"And Lance Hunter." Hunter had come because Bobbi had. Despite knowing that Clint was with someone else, he still felt that twinge of jealousy that the woman he'd loved had been with someone else. Perhaps there was some guilt there, as well, but Hunter was really good at hiding that stuff under a snarky façade that didn't leave much visible to the eye. Jack, however, had become very good over the centuries at reading people. He could see it, in the side-eye Hunter would sometimes give Bobbi and Clint when they were together.

Having these four people with him was almost like having a brand-new team.

Yes, Jack _did_ have a current team. Toshiko was his Second, and it was made up of a combination of new faces and the descendants of those he'd led in the past. Owen Harper's granddaughter, Martha Jones and Tom Milligan's twin great-granddaughters, Toshiko and Tommy Brockless' grandson… they were all family to him, as dear to him as his own daughter and grandchildren were.

Still, there was a part of him that didn't want the responsibility of leading those who were that close to him. While it wasn't as dangerous as it had been, with his people being chartered by the Crown of the United Kingdom, there was still a modicum of risk in what they did, and Jack was proof of that, having died a couple of times in the last several years during missions that should have been straightforward and had turned into major shitshows. Ianto hated it when he died but it was better him, who would always come back, than someone who wouldn't.

Yet, this team…it wasn't _his_ team, not really. This was more _Clint's_ team, even though the archer wasn't there in person. They were there because this was Clint's business, that this was his _family_, even if said family had been a bastard toward him. And, by asking Laura to put out the word about Hydra to the other traveling shows, it had made her, Barney, and their children a possible target for both the Hales and Loki, if he'd been set free by the remnants of Hydra. And there was also the chance that Loki knew even without any information the Hales may have about Clint's past, given the Elf's and the Asgardian's shared history.

It was their duty to make good on that probable mistake and, if that meant Jack had to hang about there, with this new team he really didn't know – except for Toshiko, of course, who really should have been out with their real team but had chosen to follow Jack – then so be it. This was something that needed to be done, and they were the ones who'd most likely made the mess in the first place.

And it saved Clint from having to put himself through the pain of doing it himself.

Because he would have. After all, he'd been the one who'd come up with the plan to come here, to enlist the aid of Laura Carson – Laura Barton – to play upon their former friendship in order to get her to help them. However, Clint hadn't taken into consideration that his brother would have made a reappearance, marrying the woman who'd been a childhood friend and was running the traveling show along with her. He hadn't realized that he had a niece and nephew out there, children of the brother who'd betrayed him, and he'd accidentally put them all in danger by asking for this favor… and that wasn't taking into consideration that Loki might already _know_.

It wasn't Clint's fault. He couldn't have realized what he was going to find by coming to Carson's. And, Jack had to admit, it had been a really good idea. The Western Lands didn't have the same Guild structure as the United Kingdom did, so it would have been more difficult getting the word spread around to anyone who might be in a position to see something, to discover some sort of clue to Hydra's whereabouts. This had seemed like a solution, and it had made sense to take it.

Laura was giving him a discerning look. "Alright…what's going on? You're not here because we've heard anything; I've barely had time to contact anyone yet about your Hydra problem. So, my guess is that something's happened." Her expression turned worried. "Is Clint alright?"

"He's fine, I promise." Jack should have realized she might come to that conclusion. "But, there's been a development, and I'm hoping you won't mind if we hang around here for a few days. Just to be on the safe side."

"Well," she scoffed, "_that's_ not worrying at all. I mean, having a fully armed mercenary band onsite isn't at all concerning." She crossed her arms, glaring at him.

In that moment, Jack knew she wasn't going to take him glossing over the reason for their being there. She wouldn't allow them to stay unless he was being strictly honest with her. Well, he supposed, as leader of her own people, it would make sense for her to have all the facts.

He glanced down at Toshiko, who nodded without him having to even ask. He gave her a smile, because he'd already known that would be her opinion on the subject.

"Alright," he agreed. "Maybe we should take this somewhere private?"

"My wagon." With that, Laura turned on her heel and headed back down toward the camp.

Before following, Jack looked at his newest team. "Spread out over the grounds and keep an eye on things. I doubt there's anyone here yet, but we have no idea about Hydra's resources right now."

It was a worry that they really had no notion at all about what Hydra had had before they'd taken it down almost to the roots, member-wise. There could be caches of weapons and Artifacts out there, just waiting to be brought into play, and Jack didn't like the uncertainty one single bit.

The others melted away, down into the crowd of workers; except for Bobbi, who mingled with the crowd waiting to be let in. Then, he headed out after Laura, his longer strides catching up with her as she was walking past the big tent and into the residential area of the camp.

When they entered the caravan, Barney was there. Jack wasn't surprised.

The other man frowned. "What's going on?"

"Captain Harkness brought some friends with him," Laura said, taking a seat on the sofa, "and he's going to explain why."

Jack figured he might as well lay the majority of their cards on the table. They'd explained about Hydra yesterday, but that had been before any of them had known about Loki. That was what was now making the situation so dangerous; really, they had no proof that the Hales had broken Loki out of his prison, but it seemed to make the most sense. They had no idea where any of them were, and that was frankly terrifying. While he and Ianto hadn't been in the country during Loki's abortive invasion, they'd certainly heard about it, so they knew exactly what sort of trouble the mad Asgardian could cause if left out in the world.

"Yes, I am." He took a seat himself in the chair. "I'm certain you know all about Loki."

Barney sat beside his wife. "Who hasn't? We were in Barony Santana during the fighting, but we'd have had to have been both deaf and blind not to have heard."

"Well, he's escaped…and we suspect Hydra had something to do with it."

Laura frowned. "And you just had us put word out about Hydra."

"That's right. We're afraid that we've drawn attention to yourselves by helping us." He sighed. "I'm sorry about that. If we'd known about Loki, we never would have asked."

"Is that why you suddenly left yesterday?" Laura demanded.

"It is. We were told the moment we got back."

"Shit," Barney breathed. Then he straightened. "It doesn't matter. I still would've helped. It's my brother that asked, Captain, and I won't refuse him anything."

Jack gaped. Had the idiot just claimed that other lives didn't matter, as long as it was a favor from his brother?

That…made a strange sort of sense. Barney Barton was under the thrall of the UnEarthly Child's prophecy, and he understood just how powerful that sort of thing was, especially when the prophecy in question was playing upon Barney's guilt at what he'd done to Clint all those years ago. The only thing that he cared about was regaining his brother's respect, and that was a force that no one could fight against.

Barney must have realized what that sounded like, because he began to back himself up from what he'd just said. "Gods, that came out wrong. What I meant –"

"I know what you meant," Jack interrupted. "Clint is your brother, and you need to make up for what you did to him." He leaned forward. "But you can't put those who depend on you in danger. Loki is crazy, and powerful, and if he found out about you and your family…" Damnit, he was going to have to be completely truthful. "Look, there's something else you need to know, about Clint… and about Loki."

So, he explained it all. About how Loki had taken control of Clint, had used the archer's experience and knowledge for his invasion, until he'd been rescued and brought back to his own mind. At the end of the story, both Laura and Barney looked stricken, Barney pale as a ghost and Laura with a hand over her mouth in horror.

"If I hadn't –" Barney choked.

"You can't think like that," Jack declared. "What's done is in the past, and you can't undo it. All you can do is move on from here." To be honest, he was a bit gratified by Barney's reaction; anything else other than utter shock and Jack would have told Clint to stay clear.

"Who saved him?" Laura asked softly.

"I did."

Jack wasn't surprised at Natasha's presence at the door; he figured she'd be along at some point, wanting to see Barney for herself and to confront him about Clint. She was a part of Clint's found family, and was fiercely protective of him…and that protectiveness had transferred to Phil, Daisy, and Crystal, simply because Clint loved them. She knew about his past, about how he'd been treated by his blood family, and had accepted that part of him as much as he'd accepted her past as the deadliest assassin in the world, and yet didn't hold it against her. He was her brother more than Barney was, and she wasn't about to let the bastard who'd betrayed him and left him for dead do that sort of shit again.

Both Laura and Barney jerked in response to her sudden appearance, not having expected her to just show up.

"Clint is my friend," she said as she slunk into the room, all sharpness and danger, "and I would have tracked him all the way to the Southern Confederacies and beyond if that was what it took."

Barney looked a bit wary, but he nodded. "I'm glad he had someone with him. You must be the Widow, then." He raised his chin in an act of near defiance. "When I was searching for him, I figured out he was the mercenary calling himself the Hawk. He traveled with the Widow, so I'm assuming you're her."

"I am." Jack watched as she prowled toward Barney. "And you know my reputation."

"Yeah, I do." He swallowed heavily. "And I'll deserve anything you want to dish out if I do hurt him again."

Natasha's eyes narrowed in scrutiny, but Jack had to admit that his response to her threat was pretty damned good. He seemed to mean it, which boded well. Maybe Clint and his brother might eventually get a happy ending.

"I…I wanted to ask…" Barney stammered uncertainly, "but I'm not sure I have the right."

"You can ask," Natasha said, "but I can't guarantee I'll answer."

Jack sat back, watching the exchange, wondering just what Barney was up to. If he'd really been searching for Clint, then the immortal was pretty sure what some of his questions would be about.

"It's just that…I heard Clint had run with the Dark One…"

Yes, that was what Jack was waiting for.

Not that he could blame Barney for making the attempt to understand.

Natasha gave a single tiny head bob, as if she'd been expecting it as well. "That's true."

"It's just that…" Barney's eyes were sad, but his words were full of self-loathing. "I drove him to _that_."

Jack rolled his eyes, because while the man sounded sincere, it was basic melodrama at its worst. He could see why Barney would blame himself for Clint's leaving, because that had been that very basic betrayal that had had his brother turning his back on everything he'd known. However, in the end, Clint had made his own choices. He could have settled down somewhere and lived a quiet life; but, instead, he'd become a mercenary, one of the most feared in the Western Lands and in places beyond. Barney had had no hand in that, and yet he was taking responsibility, as if taking away his brother's decisions would somehow make things better. Clint Barton was a grown Elf, and it had been up to him to live his life on his own terms.

Oh, Jack wasn't going to denigrate the trauma Clint had been through; and, hells, there had been a lot of that. However, there was simply no guarantee that anything Barney was considering would have changed a damned thing. And, in the end, it had all turned out for the best, because he seriously doubted that they would have been prepared for Hydra without his invaluable input. And, he made Phil happy, which was the best thing possible.

There were things that Barney couldn't know about just who the Dark One had been, and he trusted Natasha not to give away that the Dark One and Clint's current lover were one and the same, and that the Grand Master of Voids had once been a dangerous dark Wizard. There was no way she'd do that to her brother and Phil.

"There are certain things you need to understand." Natasha stalked a little closer, leaning over the couple on the couch. It wasn't overly menacing; it was more that she wanted to get her message across, so that they knew she was telling the absolute truth. "When I found Clint, he was broken, although he didn't tell me what had caused it for a long time. I picked up him, put him back together, and gave him a purpose. It was just us for years, until we met the Dark One and Marcus Johnson over a job gone horribly wrong. Meeting those two gave us both a perspective we were lacking…one I doubt you would understand even if I explained it to you."

Jack thought he knew what that perspective was: it was anger, the driving force of it, what it could do to push a person forward into events they might not normally get involved in and come out the winner…or a variation of winning that was detrimental to all concerned. The need to destroy, to create chaos, to make as big a mess as possible. To take a person's pain out on the world, to make innocents pay for the actions of people who _should_ have been trustworthy and yet had betrayed them. While Jack didn't know Natasha's history, he _did_ know Clint's, and could see how he _would_ connect with the Dark One and Marcus Johnson so easily, and to fall into their orbit like the moon orbiting the world, knowing what he did now about his friend.

"We did bad things," Natasha went on, "but there was good within the bad. Remind me to tell you about Buda-Pest sometime." She leaned back a little, her hands on her hips. "However, meeting the Dark One and Marcus put us on the path we're now on, and neither of us would change a thing. Yes, we're doing our best to wipe the red from our various ledgers, but we also have met friends and gained a family that we've chosen for ourselves. Look at Clint now…with a man he loves more than anything, and two beautiful daughters. He even has a dragon; the first and only non-Wizard to have one. We regret, but we move on. We do the best we can. And, in the end, we get to live as happily ever after as we can."

Jack couldn't help but be impressed by that speech. That was probably the most he'd heard her say in one go. Her words _resonated_, and he could see just how touched Laura was by them by the glittering in her eyes.

Barney, though, managed to look both chastened and bereft at the same time. Jack could see why; he was Clint's brother, and it should have been him to have found Clint, to help him get his life back together, to walk along life's path with him until circumstances managed to separate them for good. Instead, Barney had had to live with the guilt of his decisions, and to miss his brother, chasing after him futilely until a prophecy sent back to the very place he'd begun, to wait in hope for the day when he could prove himself to the one person he should never have to do that with.

Damn, this was such a _mess_.

"Clint is _happy_," Natasha finished, "and I will do everything in my power to keep him that way. He deserves it, after the hells he's gone through. And I flatly refuse to let you ruin that, even if you are his flesh and blood. _Especially_ because you're his flesh and blood, and should have stood with him from the very beginning."

"You're not the only one," Jack spoke up. "Clint's a friend. There's no way in any of the hells I'm going to let anyone ruin his happiness. He's fought hard for it, and deserves it." He didn't add that he would also fight for Phil, because putting his name out there might make certain people draw certain conclusions, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

But Natasha nodded, as if she was somehow reading his thoughts. Anyone else might have seen that as agreement with his sentiments towards Clint, but Jack just knew she was understanding what he _wasn't_ saying.

"It's good he has people who will stand up for him," Laura said, when it was obvious that Barney wouldn't respond; he'd been struck silent by their comments. Which was good. That was just what Jack wanted, to make sure he was thinking about what they'd said. That, despite his words to the contrary, Barney wouldn't pull the same shit on his only brother that he'd had in the past.

"I always have, and I always will." Those simple words, spoken without inflection, communicated more about Natasha and her feelings toward Clint that any fierce support ever could.

And about Phil.

Of that, Jack was sure of.

Because he and the others Clint and Phil had met along the way would be right beside Natasha, standing in solidarity with them, until the very end.


	23. Chapter 23

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint laughed, cuddling Crystal as he read to her, wondering how this was his life now and feeling damned blessed to have it.

Being around his family made him feel so much better about what had happened yesterday. Seeing Barney had been a shock, and all the old hurt had come roaring back. Anger had mixed in with that hurt, until he hadn't been able to tell one from the other. How dare Barney think Clint would ever forgive him for what he'd done? As far as he was concerned, that was never going to happen. Clint had carried around the emotions concerning that betrayal for far too long for him to ever grant absolution to the one person who should have loved him and who should have stood beside him.

It had been Barney, with his 'us against the world' mentality, that had had a very young Clint leaving the orphanage with his brother and joining the circus. It had led Clint to try and make a place for them beyond the grunt work they'd been assigned when they'd first arrived, had led him to pick up the bow and prove that he was better at it than just about anyone. He'd been the breadwinner then, and Barney had grown jealous of his success.

There had been times when Clint had wished he'd never held that first bow. That his natural skill hadn't been a wedge between them.

Still, that had been a long time ago. Clint no longer regretted his ability, thanks to Natasha who'd done more to help him gain his sense of self than anyone else, until a certain dark Wizard and his best friend had come into their lives. And, if he was being completely honest, that first betrayal had led him to Phil, and to the family he now had. He would never had met the Dark One without that, without being left for dead in a ditch.

That realization had him stuttering a little. Crystal didn't seem to notice, curled up in his lap and listening to him avidly, giggling at the funny bits and asking him to explain a few things she didn't quite understand. Her reactions to the voices he was using for the various characters was making him feel as light as one of the feathers he used to fletch his arrows.

He'd never believed he'd have this, a family that loved him for who he was. Although, he was still waiting for Phil to propose; he'd promised he would, so Clint was positive it would come. Phil was now wearing the ring, which meant more to him than anything. That ring was a vow for their future, to have a child that was a little bit of both of them and, although they hadn't discussed which one of them would carry it, Clint wanted more than anything to be the one to do it. Although, any child of Phil's carried by a Wizard so saturated by Void would be powerful indeed. He had Eirlys, Jack and Ianto's daughter, as proof of that. Ianto had carried her, and she was one of the more powerful Cardinal Wizards in the Guild, even more powerful than Pepper herself. Eirlys could have been a Head of Cardinal Order for the United Kingdom, if she wasn't already Baroness Gateway and far too busy for that sort of thing.

"So," Phil's voice said from the doorway, "this is where the two of you are."

"Dad!" Crystal exclaimed, jumping out of Clint's lap and running over to give him a hug. Clint was just lucky that she wasn't wearing shoes, or else he would have had a nice bruise on his inner thigh.

Clint's heart did its usual flutter and jump at seeing him again, even though it hadn't been that long ago that he'd left for Gateway. The archer hoped that he'd never lose that feeling.

Phil knelt on the floor in order to hug her back. He still looked a little tired from yesterday, but at least he wasn't that horrible pale that he'd been when he'd gotten home. As much as Clint loved taking care of him, seeing Phil that exhausted wasn't something he wanted to experience too often.

And there was still work to be done later today, with Sir James.

Clint got up out of their chair, and Phil was back on his feet by the time he'd made his way over. He wrapped his arms around his Wizard, welcoming him back silently. He sighed, glad for Phil to be home; his lover's familiar scent of paper and magic wrapping around him like a blanket. Before Phil, the Elf had never realized that magic had its own smell: various spell components, depending on what Phil had been working with lately, as well as something unidentifiable, but caused a fizziness in his nose that Clint had figured out was the purest Void clinging to his lover's skin. It was intoxicating, and he would never get tired of it.

"You're home a little later than you'd planned." Clint had figured something had come up in Quorum that had delayed him.

"John Constantine wanted to speak to me," Phil said, pulling away. "I think he's going to accept the nomination."

"That's good." He knew Phil was looking to fill the position of Head of Void Order for the Western Lands as soon as possible. It would be one less thing he would have to worry about.

"Dad," Crystal called, "are you gonna be home now?"

He glanced down at her, love shining from his eyes. It was such a different expression from what he would have seen on the Dark One's face that Clint's heart lurched. He was so very glad to be a witness to this, to see the man that had long been hidden under the angry façade that Phil had shown the world for so very long.

"For a little while," he told her, "but I'm going to have to go back out again soon and your Daddy and Daisy will be going with me."

"Can I go too?" She looked at him pleadingly. Those eyes were deadly. Clint knew he couldn't withstand them.

Phil was obviously torn at whether he should agree or say no. Clint could understand both; after all, he and Daisy would also be going, leaving Crystal at the Keep with Melinda and Andrew. The problem was, no one knew exactly what was going to happen when they started de-cursing Sir James, and it was quite possible that it could be very dangerous. And the three of them would be busy, with Clint acting as guard for the removal, and Daisy would be staying with Sir James, since the former Winter Knight trusted her after she'd stood up for his right to make his own choice and go back into the Zero Cabinet. And, of course, Phil would be neck-deep in the actual removing process.

However, Crystal still sometimes suffered from separation anxiety, a holdover from being turfed out by her biological parents. There were times when she was fine, but others she didn't want to let any of her new family out of her sight. She was usually fine if they were all in the Keep, but when anyone wanted to leave, that anxiety could rear its ugly head, like it was now. And, more often than not, Phil was the focus of that anxiety.

Clint didn't take it personally, because it had been Phil who'd found her and had taken her away from her hiding place – which would have most likely been her grave, sooner rather than later – and had imprinted on him almost immediately. It wasn't that she didn't love him or Daisy any less, it was just that Phil had been her savior. The Elf doubted the little girl even realized what she was doing.

He could see Phil knuckling under to the pressure of childish imploring. But then, Clint would have done it a lot sooner than his lover was.

Crystal saw it, too. She was an intelligent child, and cunning in an innocent way, and she squealed and hugged Phil's legs. "Thank you, Dad. I'll be good, I promise."

Well, that assumption was all it took. Phil wasn't about to disappoint her now. Clint didn't know what Crystal would be doing while they were busy, but figured they'd work it out later.

"Now," Phil said, "if we're going to be on time, I need to do a little work in my study. Why don't you stay here and let your Daddy keep reading to you, and when I'm done I'll come and get you both."

"Okay, Dad." Now that Crystal had gotten what she'd wanted, those eyes were back to being happy. She tugged on Clint's hand. "Come on, Daddy, we need to let Dad work so we can leave."

Clint couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up. "That's me told." He glanced at Phil. "You going to be long?"

"No. I want to write letters to Daisy's friends parents, to get permission to cast a few protections on them all. Until…well, until everything is over and done, I want them as protected as possible." He sighed. "What's going to be difficult is explaining just why it's necessary without telling the complete truth."

Yeah. Clint didn't envy him that job. "You'll figure it out." He had no doubt of that.

Phil rolled his eyes fondly. "You have a lot of faith in me."

"Of course I do." He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to his lover's lips. "Now, go and write those letters. I'll keep Her Highness occupied."

"What's Her Highness?" Crystal demanded. She looked adorable standing there, her tiny hands on her hips and glaring at him as if she thought he was insulting her…which was farthest from the truth.

"Never you mind." To distract her, Clint swept Crystal up in his arms, swinging her around and making her laugh. "Let's let your Dad get his work done, and I'll finish this chapter so we'll be ready to leave when he is."

Phil was watching them indulgently. Clint felt his heart swell at his regard. Honestly, how had he got so lucky?

As if sensing his name, Lucky's head rose from the hearth, where he and Lockjaw had landed once Clint had started reading; Lola had joined them, it must have been when Phil had come in. The dragon pushed his love for the Elf through their link, then lay back down, sighing in contentment.

He got Crystal settled back into his lap, grabbing the book off the table where he'd put it when Phil had entered the library. He had just opened it back to where he'd left off, when Crystal asked, "Daddy, where are we going?"

He smiled down at her. "You Dad is going to help someone who's been cursed. So, he and our friend Ianto, have been working really hard to figure out how to get the curses removed."

She considered that. "Dad helps lots of people, doesn't he? I know he helped Wanda and Peter, and Daisy, and everyone."

It still cracked him up that she called Pietro, Peter. Clint knew it did Wanda, too. Pietro, who wouldn't have accepted that from anyone else, was fine with Crystal doing it. That was the power of the cuteness that was his daughter's number one form of magic.

"Well, not everyone, sweetheart. But he has helped many people." Even back when he'd been carrying around the weight of being the Dark One, Phil had actually helped innocents. Yes, a lot of his rampages had done a lot of damage, but there'd been Buda-Pest, and other places they'd been where Phil had gone out of the way to wreak revenge on the guilty.

Perhaps that was why Phil had believed that the Void has passed judgement on him: he'd been guilty of a lot of things, most of them not really nice, and figured it had been about time that it had been turned around onto him.

"I want to help people when I get older." It was a declaration that made Clint's heart melt.

He just had to hug her. "I know you will," he encouraged her. There was no way Crystal was going to go the way of the Dark One and the Hawk. Not if he had anything to say about it. "Now, we only have a few pages left, then we can get ready to go."

"Okay, Daddy." She snuggled closer. "You do the voices better than Daisy does. But don't tell her that, I don't want to hurt her feelings."

"Your secret is safe with me." He kissed the top of her head. "Now, where were we…"

"Harry just met Ron in the carriage on the way to Wizard School."

"That's right." Clint had had no idea that there were so many books about kid Wizards out there, but he supposed that made sense, what with magic becoming more and more prevalent anymore. However, the author obviously wasn't a Wizard because she'd got several things wrong so far, especially the part where all the students took a magical carriage to Gateway – he knew for a fact that all Tested students got their own two-way Teleport artifact – but he wasn't going to say anything to Crystal. She'd find that out when it was time for her to start classes. He just hoped she wouldn't be expecting an acceptance letter carried by a dragon to arrive, inviting her to come to the school.

Anyway, the story enchanted Crystal, and that was all that mattered. She'd realize that most of what was written about being a Wizard was just hokum soon enough.

Until then, Clint would continue to read to her whenever she asked, and whatever she wanted. Even if it was completely wrong.


	24. Chapter 24

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy Teleported into Ianto's casting chamber, even though she was in Gateway anyway and could have easily walked.

She was expected, though, and didn't want to be late.

When Dad had asked her to be there for James during the curse removal, she'd jumped at the invitation. She'd been prepared to argue with him about it, knowing how he felt about her being exposed to possible danger, so she'd been surprised when he'd brought it up. James trusted her, needed to have a familiar face there hoping to keep him calm, and Steve couldn't do it since James didn't have any idea who he was and they couldn't risk something triggering him adversely.

She had to wonder just how Steve was going to be allowed to be present, since he'd pretty much insisted on it, but Daisy trusted Dad and Ianto to have it all worked out. There would be no keeping him away, not when it was his best friend being treated magically like that.

Daisy suspected there was more to it than just friendship, but Steve hadn't said anything and, despite being really curious about it, she wasn't going to ask. She had tact, damnit, no matter what anyone else said, and could wait to see if Steve ever wanted to talk about it.

Dad, Ianto, and Stephen were already there, quietly discussing something when Daisy and Skye appeared. Skye sneezed, her questioning emotions pressing into the link the two shared. Daisy couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, go on," she urged. Skye rubbed her cheek against Daisy's own, launching herself toward the dragon pile under one of the many workbenches. Daisy wasn't so surprised to see Lucky – which meant Clint was around, probably upstairs in the house – but Lockjaw's presence _was_ a surprise. Dad must have brought Crystal with him and Clint and, since she didn't see her sister around, figured she was upstairs with their other Dad.

Other Dad. Nope, that wasn't right, either. She'd come up with a good thing to call Clint that wasn't his first name, it was just going to take some time.

The three of them turned to greet her. "Thank you for coming," Ianto said.

She grinned. "There was no way I was gonna miss three Grand Masters working together! Besides, this is James we're talking about. If there's anything I can do, I'm going to do it."

There hadn't even been a question of not being there. Daisy had appointed herself as James' advocate, a position she intended to fulfil to the best of her ability. She knew she was still young, not even technically an adult yet, but she'd already stood up for him once. Her Dad and the other Grand Masters had James' best interests at heart, and wanted to help him as badly as Daisy herself did, but he would need a friendly face there that he would recognize as being in his corner.

She turned to her Dad. "I see Crystal somehow got you to bring her along." She nodded her head toward Lockjaw who, along with the other dragons, was welcoming Skye to their group.

"Your sister can be very…persuasive," Dad admitted.

Daisy nodded knowingly. "It's the eyes. They should be registered with Uncle Nick as weapons of mass destruction."

Ianto laughed. "Eirlys was the exact same way when she was Crystal's age. There simply was never a way to say 'no' to her."

"I cannot decide," Stephen added, "if I missed something in not having children of my own, or I lucked out on the deal."

That had Dad laughing as well. "I heartily recommend it, Stephen. You haven't lived until you're brought low by a pair of adorable puppy eyes."

The banter had lightened the atmosphere a little, which had been pretty heavy when Daisy had Teleported in. Which was understandable, because what they were all about to do was pretty damned serious. It was a man's life they were fighting for. If they weren't completely serious about it, she would have worried.

There was a sudden pop of displaced air, and Steve appeared. He must not have bothered to change after the Baronial Council; he was wearing his ceremonial armor, fancy plate that looked like it would stand up to a full-on battering ram to the chest. The tabard he wore was in Uncle Nick's Baronial colors, and was held closed by his sword belt…which was lacking a sword. He hadn't come armed, which was a plus in Daisy's book, since it meant he was trusting them to help his lost best friend.

It also meant, though, that he wouldn't be able to defend himself in case James was somehow triggered during the removal. Well, she would just have to trust Clint to be on guard, as well as the three Wizards who were going to be doing the removing.

"Steve," Ianto said, moving toward the Knight, "I wanted to set some ground rules for you being here."

Steve stiffened. "You couldn't keep me away –"

"And we wouldn't dare," he broke in. "However, we have to be careful of Sir James' mental state, and I don't think it would be a good idea if he saw a strange face here." He reached into the pocket of his tunic, removing a silver key hanging from a piece of string. "This is a Perception spell. It will make anyone overlook you. It won't make you completely invisible, but if you don't make any sudden moves Sir James won't notice your presence."

That was actually pretty brilliant. Daisy had heard of Perception filters like the one Ianto was offering Steve. She hadn't ever seen one, but then that was the whole point: to not being noticed. She was a little surprised it wasn't a full-on Invisibility spell, but the young woman figured this would be easier to keep Steve from storming forward at any time during the process. If he physically moved, he would be seen, and that could ruin everything.

Steve, who Daisy had sworn was going to argue, deflated a little and accepted the key. "I want to do what's best for Buck," he admitted.

Ianto gave him a compassionate smile. "I know, and this will allow you to be in the same room without distracting Sir James when he shouldn't be distracted. You and Daisy here will be looking out for him, while Phil and I work most of the magic. Stephen is going to be our monitor; he'll warn us if anything happens that we cannot see. And Clint will be on guard…just in case."

As if summoned by his name, Clint entered the casting chamber, Crystal in his arms. "Hi, Daisy!" she shouted, making Clint wince a little at the volume.

"Inside voice please, sweetheart," the Elf chided her gently.

Crystal looked suitably chastened. "Sorry, Daddy." Her tone was considerably quieter. Then she noticed Steve. "Hi Sir Steve," she called out, not as loud as when she'd greeted Daisy.

Steve's expression was a combination of confusion and worry. Daisy could understand both emotions. There was no way Crystal would be staying for the actual curse-breaking, and she was curious to know what arrangements had been made for her while everyone else was working.

As if on another cue, Baroness Eirlys descended into the room, her own dragon, Corona, not with her. She was dressed down in rough work trousers and a tunic that had seen better days, looking not at all like the seated Baroness of Gateway.

"Crystal," Phil stepped up beside Clint, the better to speak to Daisy's sister. "This is Eirlys. She's going to watch you while your Daddy and I are working."

Crystal pouted. "I can't stay with you and Daddy?"

"No, I'm sorry, but we won't be able to watch you."

"And Daisy?"

"She's going to be helping us."

"But I can help too!" she exclaimed, her lower lip wobbling a little. Crystal might have been getting better at being separated from them all, now that the adoption was official, but she still tended to be a little clingy at times.

Daisy could relate. She remembered the days just after her own adoption, when she's been wary of anyone coming to take her away again. But then, hers had been different from her sister's; Crystal's adoption had gone through immediately, while Daisy had been under the threat of someone taking her away from Dad almost from the moment they'd stepped into Barony Shandling's Court. There hadn't been any certainty at all that she would be going home with the man she'd chosen as her father, and that made things so much worse. She'd had nightmares for at least a year afterward, convinced that someone would steal her away at any moment.

"This is something that you can't help with," Dad told her gently. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing you can do, Crystal."

She looked on the verge of crying, but Eirlys stepped forward, giving Crystal a sympathetic smile. "I know you don't want to leave your Dad and Daddy, but they have important work to do. You'll see them soon, I promise. And, in the meantime, I have some children here who would really like to meet you. They're your age, and you can play with them until the adults are done with their boring business." She wrinkled her nose at that last part, making Crystal laugh at the funny face. "What do you say, young lady? Would you like to meet some new friends?"

Crystal considered that. "Dad and Daddy and Daisy told me I need to have friends…"

"Then you would only be doing what they want," Eirlys was pleased. "Let me introduce you to my grandchildren. They'll be happy to meet you."

It was easy to forget that Baroness Eirlys was old enough to be Daisy's grandmother; she just looked younger than that. Daisy figured it was the magic she'd inherited from both of her fathers that accounted for that.

Crystal was obviously torn between choosing her family and the chance of gaining friends. Dad gave her an encouraging nod, while Clint grinned. "What do you say?" he asked. "What would be more fun – staying and being bored here, or playing with kids your age?"

"Yeah," Daisy piped up. "I'd go with you if I could, because it's really going to be boring." She only hoped it would be. The last thing they all wanted were complications.

"I don't like boring," she proclaimed.

Dad leaned forward. "Want to know a secret?" She nodded. "When you get old enough, you may actually come to like boring."

She shook her head emphatically, the odd black design in her blonde hair falling into chaos. "I don't think so, Dad."

"You'll see." He tugged on a lock of hair. "Now, why don't you head up with Eirlys, and she'll introduce you to your new friends. And don't forget to take Lockjaw, so he can have some new dragon friends, too."

"Okay, Dad." She wriggled a little, and Clint set her on her feet.

Eirlys held out a hand. Crystal took it and, calling out to Lockjaw, let herself be escorted back up into the house. "It's almost teatime, so I'm sure we can find some sort of snacks for you." Lockjaw chirped. "And yes, something for you, too." She looked indulgently at the dragon.

"What's teatime?" was the last thing Daisy heard before the door shut behind them.

Dad laughed. "I wish I could hear her explanation of teatime."

"And you know Crystal will want to instigate it as soon as she figures out what it means," Clint laughed.

Daisy had to laugh as well. As Gateway was in the United Kingdom, teatime was practically mandatory at the school. She quite liked it herself, to be honest.

As soon as they were gone, the air within the casting chamber turned somber once more. Daisy couldn't help but be nervous about what was going to happen; her heart began to beat a little faster in anticipation and a little fear.

"Alright," Ianto addressed the room, "I'm going to fetch James. We'll explain to everyone what's going to happen today when he's out of the Zero Cabinet. Steve, please put the Perception filter around your neck and stand out of the way. And remember…you won't be able to move or speak without drawing attention to yourself, and I have a feeling that would be a very bad thing to so."

"I'll just stand in the corner," Steve answered, looping the string about his neck. Suddenly, his presence in the room wavered a little, and it was only Daisy's magical sight that allowed her to track him across the room to the corner he'd indicated; since the room was round, it was actually an area between a workbench and a tall wooden cabinet. Once he was there, seemed to vanish completely.

"Can I get one of those?" she asked. Because that effect was _awesome_.

"You just want one so you can sneak easier around the Keep," Dad accused lightly. "Like you need a Perception spell in order to get your nose into whatever you want."

"But it would make that so much simpler!" she exclaimed, laughing.

Daisy had taken quite a lot of time exploring the secret passages of Shield Keep, and probably knew more about the layout than anyone except perhaps Melinda May, who believed personal security to be an art form. There were ways to get to pretty much anywhere within the Keep, although there were certain areas she did steer clear of, like her Dad's bedroom and Melinda and Andrew's private quarters. She really didn't need to know what went on in those rooms…especially now that Clint was living there. The last thing she needed was proof that har Dad had a healthy and active sex life.

There were just certain things she didn't need to witness.

"Daisy," Dad said, a little soberly. "I'll need you to come home with us when this is over. There's something I'll need to discuss with you before you come back to school tomorrow."

"Alright, Dad." She wondered if it was about Loki. Daisy was willing to bed it was.

"Now," Ianto brought all of their attention back to him, "I'm going to go and fetch Sir James." He turned to Clint. "You know why you're here."

Clint nodded. He went to fetch his ever-present bow and quiver, where he'd set it against one of the walls. It would have been in the way with him holding Crystal. "I really hope I don't need to use this." He slipped the quiver over his shoulder then, removing a single arrow, set it against the string of the bow, although he didn't draw it taut.

Nerves fluttering in agitation, it was all Daisy could do not to yell at Clint for that. She could understand the caution, though, since James was dangerous until the curses could be removed. Besides, she could see that he'd really meant it, about not having to use the weapon. Not that he should do, since there were three powerful Wizards in the room, as well as herself. While she wasn't even close to being on par with three Grand Masters, she knew her magic could pack quite a punch.

Ianto left the room, and Daisy felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Dad, and his eyes were concerned. "You don't have to be here if you think it's going to bother you."

Daisy loved him for that, and had to hug him. "Thanks, Dad."

"You are quite welcome." His voice was soft in her ear, and his magic was fizzy and cool against her somewhat scattered nerves.

She pulled back, letting him see in her face how much she loved him. She couldn't imagine her life without him, not even back when she'd first met him, stumbling across her in that alley in the middle of a war zone, in torn and bloody clothing and looking as if his very world had ended. There had been something about that total stranger, a siren call that had her putting her knife away and following him, even though it could have been walking into disaster…or worse. She'd been so cynical back then; however, that hadn't mattered from the moment she saw this man looking so lost and alone.

Even more alone than Daisy herself had been.

"I know," she reassured him, "but James needs me. He doesn't know me at all, only that I stood up for him, but he needs a friendly face and Steve can't be that because James doesn't remember him. So, it's up to me to be the one who's supporting him while you and Ianto do all the heavy lifting. And he doesn't know Stephen really, so it can't be him, and Clint needs to stand watch just in case. I'm it, Dad. And I want to help him anyway I can."

"I am so proud of you," he murmured. "You have no idea what I did that you turned out so right, and I hope that I can do the same for Crystal."

"You loved me." She didn't even bother to hide the fact that she was wiping tears from her eyes. Her Dad was amazing. He didn't deserve to doubt the job he'd done in raising her. "You were tough when you needed to be, but you also taught me right from wrong, and how to trust again. Crystal is so very lucky to have you in her life. She just doesn't know that yet."

His eyes were glittering with their own tears, although his didn't fall. Not that long ago, his eyes had been a wonderful blue but, ever since Hydra had killed him, there was now tiny black flecks in them that were like little reverse stars. It was the Void, letting anyone who cared to notice know just how special he was, that he was Void Champion, and she couldn't even say how proud she was that he was her father.

"Well," she sniffled a little, "that got emotional really fast."

Dad shrugged, but he didn't say anything. He really didn't have to. Daisy couldn't love him more than she did just then.

She finally took a step back, making her way over to Clint. He was looking at her warily, as if he was afraid she would yell at him or something. Daisy would have been confused about him feeling that way if it hadn't been for their conversation yesterday, and him admitting to her that his childhood had been just as shit as hers had been. He still wasn't quite sure of his place in their family, despite the fact that his signature was on Crystal's adoption paperwork, as well as her own now. She'd already decided to change her last name to Barton-Coulson, to be in solidarity with Crystal and to show him that she thought of him as much her Dad as Dad was.

She _really_ needed to work out what to call him.

Daisy looked up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were blue and green and hazel, all mixed together, and so sharp she thought he could cut steel with his stare. Dad said Clint never missed when he shot and, with those eyes, she could believe it.

"I trust you," she said, putting every bit of certainty into her voice.

Something in him relaxed, and she hadn't seen it until his shoulders actually dropped a little and his eyes softened. He didn't say anything, he simply nodded, settling into watchfulness as James was brought into the room.

Daisy crossed the room to meet him. "Hi, James."

The man once known as the Winter Knight smiled slightly. "Hi, Daisy. Ianto says it's time."

"Yes, it is." On instinct, she reached out and took his flesh and blood hand. "You ready?"

"More than I can even say."

"Then we should get to it, then."

Daisy couldn't help but feel confident in both her Dad and Ianto. They would do the absolute best they could.

And she would do whatever was needed to help.


	25. Chapter 25

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve had to stand back and watch as Ianto brought Bucky out from the room that damned Zero Cabinet had been stored in.

Where _Bucky_ had been stored.

That sounded so very wrong in his head. From what he'd heard, Ianto thought the very same.

When Ianto had given him the key, he'd been a little confused. From what Phil had intimated, Steve had believed that Ianto was going to use some sort of spell to disguise him, not this sort of thing that hid his very presence from everyone in the room. He could see the sense of it, though. After all, seeing him might very well set Bucky off, and that was the last thing Steve wanted to do, and strangers he didn't know might put back Buck's recovery in some way. Being cursed like that was bound to make a guy cautious around people he didn't know.

What he _wanted_ more than anything was to go to his best friend, the man who could have been so much more if Steve had only been brave enough, but he'd given his word not to move from his place by the wall, no matter what. He gazed avidly at the man he'd long thought dead as he walked into the room, and it was immediately apparent that, even though it was obviously his friend, there was something off in his stride, as if he was somehow favoring his left side…

Then he realized, it was the cursed arm.

It was throwing Bucky's once-familiar way of moving out of whack. Perhaps it was the weight of the thing; it had to be heavy, having been cast of some sort of metal. Or perhaps it was the many curses that had been cast on him that was making Bucky move differently. Chances were, though, it was a combination of both.

Anyway, Steve would be glad when they were all gone. And he knew Buck felt the same way, as did everyone else in the room.

There were other changes in his best friend. His hair, which had been kept short for wearing under armor, was now long and lank, and looked as if it needed a good wash, hanging over one side of his face and almost obscuring his eyes. Those eyes, once so very bright, were so shadowed that their normal blue had been darkened that they looked nearly brown. The familiar face itself was pale, but whether that was from not getting enough sunlight, or some other reason, Steve couldn't say.

Bucky was dressed in leather armor, with only the silver of that magical arm visible through its missing sleeve. It went all the way to his shoulder, and should have glimmered under the lights in Ianto's casting chamber. However, it didn't. It seemed to soak in the light, leaving the segmented metal dull and almost tarnished-looking. That, Steve was willing to bet, had been caused by the curses on it.

That arm, from what Ianto had said, had once been created out of love. Now, it was an Artifact consumed by hate.

Steve was a silent witness as Daisy walked right up to Buck, greeting him and taking his flesh and blood hand. He longed to be the one comforting Bucky, but knew that would come later, once the Grand Masters had done their work in removing the curses and healing his friend. For now, he would rely on Daisy for that, since she really did care what happened to him.

He'd considered what would happen if Buck didn't remember him, after everything was said and done. He'd decided that he would meet Bucky once more, introduce himself, and start to rebuild the friendship that they'd had since they'd been children. He could still be that friend, to help Bucky through his recovery, even if he didn't remember Steve from before.

He could do that for the man he loved.

"James," Ianto stepped forward, "I don't believe you've been introduced to Grand Master Stephen Strange, Head of Great Order." The Grand Master moved up to stand next to Ianto. "He's going to be here for monitoring purposes, since Phil and I will be concentrating on the curses. He'll warn us if anything starts to go wrong, so we can take a step back and reassess."

Steve hadn't been aware that Grand Master Stephen was unknown to Bucky, and it irritated him a little that he would get to help and Steve himself had to keep silent. That didn't last long; after all, if Bucky _was_ having memory flashes like he'd been told, then seeing someone that had showed up in those fractured images would have disturbed Bucky more than meeting a complete stranger. It could cause more harm than good.

It made him question the decision to use this Perception spell instead of an Illusion charm, like he'd thought would happen, because then at least he could help out if necessary. Not being able to move would be hard, even if something did go wrong. Steve was beginning to regret agreeing to anything that had him be some sort of observer, knowing it would be the hardest thing he would ever do in his entire life. Damnit, why couldn't he be more involved?

Oh right. Because no one would risk Bucky being upset by his presence, even if he looked like someone else and not himself. That was the last thing he wanted to do, to mess up Buck's recovery for anything.

Bucky was looking the Grand Master over, trying to decide if the man was friend or foe. He could tell the moment his friend accepted Grand Master Stephen, in the slight relaxing of his posture and the tiny nod he gave the other Wizard. Then, he started in surprise.

"Did your cloak just wave at me?" he asked incredulously.

Grand Master Stephen smirked. "It does that."

"I…see."

Steve wanted to laugh, because he could remember the first time the Cloak of Levitation had reacted to him. He'd been just as startled by what looked like a normal garment suddenly come to life and greet him.

Magic was amazing. There were times when he wished he had it, and then there were times when he was glad he didn't.

"And the Elf is here to stop me if I get triggered." Bucky stated it as if he'd been expecting to have a guard on him.

"Yes. We thought it would be better if it was someone you've met before."

Bucky nodded. "I'm surprised it's not the soldier who remembered me."

That would have been Jack. Steve was curious about that, as well. It seemed to him that having the Deathless around would have made a better bodyguard.

"Jack is on a mission at the moment," Phil answered. "He and Toshiko couldn't make it."

Ah, that explained it. Steve wondered just what this mission was, that was keeping Jack and Toshiko away. He'd have to ask about it.

"Should I be insulted that you'd want someone else here?" Clint asked lightly, not insulted at all.

Bucky barked a laugh; it was rusty sounding, as if he hadn't laughed in a very long time. Which, of course, it had been. "Nah. I trust you to take action if you need to."

Clint nodded once in acknowledgement of that statement. Steve was hoping that that sort of thing wouldn't be necessary.

"Now," Ianto said, breaking the sudden heaviness of the atmosphere, "we want to explain what's going to happen today."

"Alright." Bucky had all his attention on Ianto, although Daisy kept a hold of his hand. Steve found himself feeling a little jealous at that, because he wanted to be the one to do that, but quashed it ruthlessly. Daisy didn't deserve that; she was being a good friend when Steve couldn't, and he appreciated that far more than he could say.

"We're going to need to work in steps," Ianto began. "First, the Berserker spells. Those are what give you the ability to lift the obvious weight of the arm in the first place. They also give you enhanced strength, and it only makes sense to dispense with those before anything else."

Bucky considered. "Yeah. That way I can't lash out as easily."

"Exactly. Now, before we do that, we have to make sure that removing it isn't going to trigger something worse. Which is why we have this." He removed something from his pocket.

Steve saw that it was a metallic disc, about the size of his palm, looking innocuous in the Grand Master's hand. It had to have been anything but, and he couldn't help but tense slightly at the idea of them using yet another Artifact on his friend.

Then he relaxed…well, as much as he could in these circumstances. At least they were telling Buck what they were doing, which was more than what Hydra had done. These people had Bucky's best interests at heart, and were doing the best they could to make him comfortable.

"This is a magical Containment pod," Ianto went on. "This is why it's taken us three weeks to get to this point; I had to wait for it to arrive from another Archive. But it's going to be our best hope of keeping you subdued in case removing the curses trigger you to attack."

Bucky examined it. "How does it work?" He didn't look bothered; in fact, he relaxed even more.

"We're going to have you sit for this." The Cardinal Wizard gestured toward an overstuffed chair that Steve hadn't paid any attention to, placed in a cleared-off space toward the side of the room. Now that he was looking, he could see symbols in chalk around the chair, each one drawn painstakingly and in a perfect circle. "Once you're seated, we'll put this underneath the chair. It will hold you in place while we work."

"What makes this so perfect," Phil spoke up, "is that it will allow us to work magic on you and we don't have to work around any other Confinement magic that we'd normally have used. It is separate from our own spells. We don't dare put you into the Zero Cabinet for this, because its very nature is to suspend things. Our magic simply wouldn't work."

"And," Ianto said, "if for some reason the pod doesn't hold you, we have Clint and Stephen as back-up."

"You'll keep me in that thing for the entire procedure." It wasn't a question.

"We plan on it, yes."

"Good." Bucky looked satisfied. "I don't want to hurt anyone, even by accident."

"You won't hurt anyone," Daisy said stoutly. Steve loved her in that moment, for reassuring Buck that everything would work out for the best.

Bucky glanced down at her. "I like it that you say that, but Daisy…we can't be sure until all the curses are gone. I won't risk it. You've all been so good to me, even after what I did to you and Clint…"

"Hey," Clint called, "it's forgiven. You weren't in control. If anyone in this room understands that, it's me." There was a fierceness about him, as well as old pain, as if he really could empathize with what Buck had been through.

Steve frowned. What had he meant by that? Had there been a time when…

Ah.

Loki had been able to control people with his magical spear, he'd been told. Had Clint been a victim of that control? With everything he'd learned about the mad Asgardian and what he'd done, he could easily see that the Elf may very well have been involved in all of that in some way. He certainly seemed old enough, if Steve was any judge. Although he couldn't so easily work out Elven ages as well as he could human.

Sure, he could be wrong. But something was telling him that he wasn't, that Clint had been hurt by Loki. That he'd been one of the people who'd been turned into puppets by the Wizard. It made sense that he had been, because that also would have explained his comment to Bucky. He certainly didn't have any proof, and made a note to himself to ask when he had the chance.

"After we remove the Berserker magicks," Ianto continued, "then we need to work on the _geas_. It's the magic that allows you to control the arm. There's also a second _geas_ that was laid upon you, but that one was what Hydra used to keep you under their thumbs. We won't be able to work on that one until after the stronger _geas_ has been removed."

"There's something you do need to be aware of," Stephen said. "You've had this _geas_ cast upon you for a very long time. Removing it with send you into a form of withdrawal. It's going to be painful, but it needs to be done before we can completely remove the arm."

Steve's heart clenched in his chest. Hadn't Bucky been through enough pain? Ianto had warned him about this, but it was different hearing the Grand Master telling Buck what to expect.

"We would put you to sleep," Phil added, "but we really need to monitor you while the curses come off." He sounded so apologetic, like the last thing he wanted to do was cause Bucky pain, that Steve found himself liking the Wizard all over again. This was the man who'd saved him from the Void, who cared about those around him, and now he was caring about Buck even though he didn't know Steve's friend. It was just because he was that good a person.

He remembered every single clue he'd heard about Phil Coulson having a past he wasn't proud of, and made a vow to himself never to judge the Grand Master for anything he'd ever done. Everyone had things they'd done that they weren't proud of – certainly Steve did – and if they were all judged for it there wouldn't be any good people out there at all. He only hoped that Phil would tell him, one day, that he would be able to trust Steve with the truth.

"No," Bucky growled. "You do what you need to do to get me uncursed. I can deal with the pain if it means I get to have some sort of normal life after you're done."

Phil nodded, a short, sharp jerk of his head, acknowledging the words but not liking the need for them. "I did manage to mix up some Healing potions. They won't be as efficacious as anything coming from a trained healer, but they should help."

"Phil is the best potion maker amongst us," Ianto confided. "So trust that he's done what he can to make you as comfortable as possible when the time comes."

"I do." Buck's voice was quiet. "I do trust you." Then his mouth quirked upward in a tiny smile. "For the first time in a long time, I can finally trust people not to torture me or treat me like I don't matter."

There was silence in the room for a few heartbeats. Steve felt tears prickling his eyes, and he didn't dare move to wipe them away. Bucky had been through every single level of every single hell, and now he was going to get the chance to live, uncursed, and as the man he was meant to be. Even if that man never remembered a single moment of their past together, Steve was going to be there, to recreate some of the links they'd had between each other, and do the best he could to help his best friend heal.

He felt eyes on him, and looked up to see Phil gazing right at him. Steve gave him a nod, and the Void Wizard's eyes softened a little. Then, with only that tiny acknowledgement of the silent promise Steve had just made, Phil's attention was back on the others, as Ianto began to explain more about what they were going to be doing.

Still, when they actually began, with Bucky confined to the chair, Steve realized that all the talking about it in the world hadn't prepared him for the reality.

And he knew, as he wasn't a Wizard, that he hadn't been able to see everything that occurred.


	26. Chapter 26

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

There were only a couple of times in life that Phil felt completely and utterly _free_.

One of those times was when he was with Clint, either sheathed within his willing body, or his lover buried deep within him, their emotions spiraling up toward climax. It felt like flying when they shared that connection, and if Phil had ever had any doubts about being with Clint forever, they were lost as their pleasure mingled into one, ringing, affirmation of their love and devotion to one another.

Making love to, and being made love to, was as close to either of the Heavens Phil knew he'd ever get.

Another of those times was when he was deep within his magic.

The Void sang to him now. It used to be silent and, up until his second death when Hydra had put that Vibranium chain around his neck, Phil had honestly believed that he'd been cast out by the Void for his crimes. Now, he knew the truth: that the Void had brought him back, and had deliberately obscured his memory of it in order to protect him until he was ready to know what really had happened.

He was Void Champion.

Phil was finally beginning to believe that this wasn't a punishment. That the near-immortal life he had stretching before him wasn't the Void passing judgement on his time as the Dark One. It was acceptance by the very magic that was part of him, so much so that he would live forever. The Void wanted him as its own, and the Wizard had no choice but to accede to its wishes and be what it wanted him to be. And he accepted that the Void saw something within him that he never had.

He was now more Void than human. He wondered if this was how Ianto felt, being so closely bound to the Deep Ways as his friend was.

The Perception filter that Ianto had provided may have hidden Steve from casual sight, but not to Phil. There was still lingering Void within the Knight from his time within it, locked into the very fibers of his body, unable to be tugged free without causing critical damage to the man. The Wizard hadn't realized it at the time he'd removed what he could, when Steve had been in his coma; however, now he did, and it scared him that he could very well have killed the former Paladin under the guise of attempting to heal him, completely by accident.

The Void had known, though. It hadn't let him take everything.

That taint was very visible to him. Phil knew that Crystal sensed it as well, which boded well as to her level of magical ability. Other Voids, depending on their own natural connections to the Void itself, would have been aware of it as well. It _marked_ Steve as someone with the Void's favor, because that was what it was…the Void's protection had extended beyond itself, and even Phil didn't know what that protection would entail.

He was looking forward to finding out.

The Void practically permeated James Barnes. Much of it was that unhealthy sort that had come from Pierce's twisted Void Point, and the Void that had been there before Pierce had been contaminated by it as well. Phil knew he was going to have to remove that, taking it within himself in order for it to heal itself within the Void he held inside himself. Even now, standing beside Ianto as his Cardinal counterpart worked his own magic – bright, brilliant, and warm, like the sun – attempting to pick apart the Berserker curse that had been placed upon the Winter Knight, and more specifically the arm that had been forcibly been attached to the poor man, he could feel that sick magic curling and twisting away, making Ianto's job even harder than it needed to be.

Phil put a hand on Ianto's shoulder, breaking his concentration. "Let me," he murmured.

Ianto understood immediately what Phil wanted, and stepped back and out of the way. Phil glanced down into James' eyes, light and dark at the same time, and explained, "I'm going to have to remove the Void powering those curses before Ianto can go any further with his own work." He grimaced. "It may be…uncomfortable."

"Do it," James ordered. "Anything you need to do to get these curses off me."

Phil nodded. He moved up to the very edge of the Containment pod's magical field, knowing he could pass through it easily if needed and yet it would still hold James in his chair. He let himself _see_, how the Void mixed with the spells that had been laid upon the poor man, knowing that, as good as Ianto was at working with curses, he would have a more difficult time – or even fail, in some circumstances – if Phil himself didn't step in at this point.

"What do you _see_?" his friend asked softly.

"You won't be able to remove the _geas_ on the arm if I don't pull some of Pierce's spell work out first," he answered.

Ianto understood at once. "He used the tainted Void Point."

Phil nodded. "It will fight you if you try to break it, as well as the Obedience and Bloodlust curses. It's even entangled a bit with everything else. It won't come willingly, and you'll only end up hurting James too badly if you try. I don't think he'll survive the process."

"I thought that might be the case."

As had Phil, although not to the extent it had turned out to be. He hadn't really realized just how bad it was until Ianto had started to pick apart the threads of the Berserker curse. That tainted Void had begun twisting and roiling, reacting to Ianto's Cardinal presence, and it hadn't been about to accede to the Cardinal Wizard's will in the matter, no matter how powerful his friend was, or as adept at removing curses.

"I could feel it," his friend went on. "It's…slick, like oil, and I've never felt Void like that before in any of the previous spells I've managed to unpick."

"You would have succeeded if not for that." Phil was positive of it. He'd seen the evidence with Andrew, and the curse he'd fallen under, and then the end result when Ianto had finished ridding him of it. His friend was powerful, and the gift for curse breaking was too much for any sort of usual curse he might run into.

But this was something completely different. Phil had to wonder if Pierce had done it on purpose, knowing just how strong Ianto was and not wanting to take the chance of the Winter Knight falling into the Cardinal Wizard's hands. That seemed a perfectly reasonable assumption to make, given how ruthless Pierce had ended up being. And how paranoid.

James was looking up at him, and Phil was shaken by the trust he saw within that sharp gaze. He gave the man a single nod, then extended his hand, calling the Void to him much as he had before, with Steve and then with Garrett.

The trick here was not to kill James by removing it all. He was like Steve in that respect; there was always going to be something of the Void within him, a reminder that he'd once been cursed. However, Phil would take what he could safely.

James' body arced upward in the chair, as if following the twisting lines of Void that began to pull out and toward Phil's hand. The Wizard almost wanted to flinch away, because Ianto had described it perfectly: oily, not at all like the Void in its true form, and cold as ice. In his magical sight, he watched as it began to writhe against his call, James gasping under what had become a battle between Phil and Pierce's warped spells.

Phil wanted to stop, but he didn't dare. James needed to be freed, and it was never going to be a pleasant experience for the poor man. But _this_…this, Phil should have foreseen; he'd done the scan on the arm when James had been brought in. He'd seen the spells that had been used to put him under Hydra's thrall, had known that Pierce would have relied on the Void Point in Hydra's mansion to bring them under his own control, and yet it hadn't been apparent until Ianto had begun the process of pulling the curses apart that this wasn't the usual sort of Void that Phil was used to dealing with.

He tugged a little harder, the Void actually fighting his summons. James was struggling as well, but the Containment pod was keeping him firmly in his chair, preventing him from reaching out and stopping the Wizard from doing what needed to be done.

Gritting his teeth, Phil reached out, grasping the tendrils of Void that had so far left James' body, their sliminess making his skin crawl. He was going to have to take that within himself, and it was going to make him ill before he could expel it; it would take opening a new Void Point in order to do that, and he was seriously doubting he would have the strength to after he was done, as there was no way it could stay within him as he'd originally thought. Still, he wasn't about to stop, so he yanked as hard has he could, practically tearing that tainted Void out of the poor man who'd been cursed with its presence for so long.

James screamed in agony.

So did Phil, only his was a scream of defiance.

He was in a fight for this man's life, and soul. Phil called the Void to him, and it fought him in a way he'd never experienced before. The Void usually came to him joyfully, rushing to his call. This wasn't right, and it needed to be dealt with, now.

Phil called upon the Void, the magic within him, and bent his will toward ridding James of the taint, using every bit his mental and magical strength to wrestle it out of the writhing man in the chair.

It finally came free, James slumping backward, his head lolling as his chest heaved, like he'd gone without breathing forever.

The tainted Void twisted about Phil's fingers, angry and roiling and wanting to hurt him for prying it out of its vessel.

He didn't want to do this part, but he didn't have a choice. He couldn't leave the Void to its own devices; it would try to inhabit someone else, most likely Steve since he already had a bit of itself within him. Phil couldn't take that chance, and so he drew the sickness within himself.

He gagged at the horror of it, falling to his knees without feeling the impact against the stone of the floor. In the end there hadn't been a lot of it within James, but it was enough to make Phil violently ill as it clashed with the clean Void that filled his blood and bone. Gods, he wanted to expel it from himself but he couldn't. It would only do more damage if set free.

He wasn't about to let that happen.

And so, he fought.

Somewhere beyond the roaring in his ears, and the silent voice of the bad Void in his head, he could hear his name being screamed at him, and the thought it might have been Daisy. "Stay back!" he shouted, needing everyone to keep clear as he battled the Void into submission. This was a fight he needed to win, and being distracted would only make him lose the fight.

The pain was terrible. Phil knew he could handle it; he'd dealt with much worse. He'd had to, back during his days as the Dark One, even though that pain had been more emotional than physical. Still, emotions would also cause bodily pain, and it was something he'd been used to for years. His mind and his magic fought the tainted Void, needing to bring it to heel until he could discharge it.

Then, he seemed to gain some strength from somewhere outside himself. He didn't question it, grabbing on with mental hands as he pushed the sick Void down into himself, his own magic containing it close to the source of his connection to the Void, where it would remain until he could regain the strength needed to open a Void Point and send it back home.

Phil had no idea how much time had passed, but when he came back to himself he was still on the floor, his head pillowed in someone's lap. Blinking, he gazed up into Clint's worried eyes, Lucky beside him, and with his magic still wide open he thought he could see miniscule flecks of Void in those beloved multi-colored irises.

But that was impossible. Clint wasn't a Wizard. The Void wouldn't be within him.

"Welcome back," Clint whispered, leaning over and pressing a kiss to Phil's cheek. "You had us worried."

Phil's eyes darted around, making out Daisy kneeling beside him, not touching but obvious that she really wanted to. "Don't ever do that again, Dad," she scolded him, fear choking the words.

She was so very beautiful.

The Deep Ways glowed within her, like she was a star fallen from the sky and walking about in the world. This was the child he'd discovered completely by accident, and had raised to be a wonderful young woman who was willing to take on the world if it meant defending him from anyone who would want to hurt him. That need had grown to include the family she now had around her, and oh, Phil was so very proud of her.

He blinked again, his magical vision transferring back to normal, the room dark now that he'd hidden Daisy's magical presence away from his sight. She was scared, so he held out a hand to her; she grasped it, the familiar tingle of the Deep Ways pleasant against his skin and grounding him in ways he could never have explained.

Lola's familiar worried cooing had him glancing down at his dragon, where she was cuddled up against his side. Her scales looked a little pale, but that wasn't surprising; she was as much a part of him as he was of her, and his pain and struggle would have communicated itself through their link. He reached down with his free hand and stroked along her jaw, and she nuzzled his palm, licking him lightly in relief.

Stephen and Ianto were hovering, both looking very concerned. "How is James?" Phil asked struggling to rise. His brain felt like it was sloshing around inside his skull, which was _really_ unpleasant, but he could deal with it.

Ianto gave him a slight smile. "You should ask him yourself."

He held out an arm; Stephen gave him a look that was obviously letting him know that he thought Phil was insane upon insisting on standing, but he reached down and clasped the offered hand and helped him to his feet. Stephen's magic buzzed against his own, grounding Phil just a little bit more than he already was.

He swayed a little, and it was only Clint's arm around his waist that kept him from hitting the floor once more. Lola was a warm, solid length along his opposite side, and Phil sighed, accepting their aid. "I think I might need a chair."

Ianto had already pulled one up for him. Phil accepted gratefully, sinking down onto the cushion, Lola's head on his knee. His gaze moved toward James in his own chair, needing to check on him and hope that the struggle hadn't taken as much out of him as it had Phil himself.

He could see immediately that what he'd just put himself through had made a difference in the man. James' posture was lighter, more relaxed, and he smiled worriedly at Phil. "You didn't have to do that." He was pale, and wan, but his eyes were a lot less shadowed than they had been, the weight of the tainted Void gone.

"Yes, I did." Phil wondered just what sort of personal strength it had taken Steve to stay in his position by the wall. What had just occurred must have been traumatic. Seeing his friend in agony…Phil wasn't sure he could have stayed away.

The expression on James' face…in that moment, the Wizard knew he'd just gained James Barnes' undying loyalty. That his act of taking the magic into himself has cemented for James that there would be people who cared for him, no matter what his past was.

That Phil could even compare his rampage with James' own as the Winter Knight wasn't something he was ready to discuss. If he ever would be.

"Clint and Daisy should take you home –" Ianto began.

"I'll be fine." It was almost a lie; Phil already felt a little better, but the sooner he got rid of the sick Void the better it would be. It was contained, but he knew it was there, and there would be no way he could ignore it, sitting like a lump of black ice against his soul.

Ianto raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

It was all Phil could do not to roll his eyes, knowing it would make his headache worse. "I'll be fine to at least monitor. I might not be up to much else, but I'm not leaving yet. We need to get at least to that _geas_ before stopping. You _need_ me to be here, Ianto."

"Phil…" It was Stephen this time, concern in his dark eyes.

"The longer we argue about this, the longer it will take," Phil pointed out. If he was being honest, he really _did_ want to go home, but he couldn't. Not yet. He needed to see this through, to free James from what Hydra had done to him, to give him his life back. "I won't do anything unless you need me to, but I need to be here for this."

Ianto looked torn, but he nodded. "Just monitor, and give me direction when you see something that I've missed. I'll have your word, Phil."

"I'll give it." It was easy for him to do. Phil doubted he could even dredge up enough strength to put anyone to sleep, let alone advanced curse removing.

"We will be talking about this," Clint whispered in his ear, the threat in his tone nearly buried under worry.

Phil reached up and took his hand. He smiled tiredly. "I understand." He did. Clint must have been scared at what he'd seen happening, even without the benefit of magic of his own.

Daisy had, though, and her eyes were narrowed at him, as if she was trying to assess for herself his physical condition. She didn't say anything, however, knowing that he was a stubborn bastard and wouldn't budge unless they carried him out. She understood that he needed to see this through, because she did as well. They were in this together, wanting to help James regain at least a little bit of himself that Hydra had taken away.

"Are you sure?" James inquired. "I'd understand after all of that if you wanted to go and rest. I can go back into the cabinet –"

"No." Phil was adamant. That was the last thing he wanted for James to have to do. "We can get the majority taken care of today, and you can sleep in a real bed tonight."

"Agreed," Ianto said firmly. "Let's get back to work, shall we?"

He moved back toward James and, this time, when Phil watched the Cardinal Wizard work, he could tell they were going to be successful with removing the arm and the curses.

It was going to work. It had to.


	27. Chapter 27

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Thor slept badly, and it was not because he was in an unfamiliar bed.

Loki had been gone for weeks. There was no telling what his brother's madness would have driven him to. He tossed and turned, his imagination – while not the greatest of his strengths – teased him with scenarios during which Loki was the cause of many a type of chaos. Even as children, before madness had taken him away, his brother had been the author of many japes that had been on the verge of malicious. After he had gone mad, when he'd discovered his true parentage, that had morphed into something that had crossed into evil.

Thor had not known about what his father had done. His father had explained that he had had taken the infant Loki into their household as a hostage against the King of the Frost Giants, the Jotun, but had kept the child's origins secret, choosing instead to adopt him into their family as his younger son. Thor had not known a time when Loki had not been in his life, as his only brother, and he had loved him fiercely and, he'd believed, loved him well.

Perhaps he had been a little overbearing in many ways, but that had always been the way of things with him. Subtlety was not something at which Thor excelled.

He found himself roaming the halls of the Baronial Residence well before sunrise, the specter of his thoughts following him relentlessly. Memories of his childhood with Loki haunted him, as they had these last eleven years, wondering if he had done something wrong to cause his brother to abandon him and their Mother. He did not question why Loki would hold such a grudge against Odin; after all, from the very beginning, Father had lied to Loki about who he was and where he had come from. Yes, Mother had been complicit yet, at the same time, she also had not had all of the details of how their parents had gained a second son. Mother had said that she had come to believe that Father had had an illicit liaison behind her back, and that Loki was the product of that union. Odin had done nothing to dissuade her of that, perfectly willing to allow her to assume that of her husband.

Thor did not know what he was angrier about: the fact that Father had been so prone to that sort of behavior that Mother would have come to that conclusion in the first place; or that Father had allowed that conclusion to stand in the first place.

His wanderings took him out into the city. New Andrade was a modern metropolis, large and sprawling, a mighty seaport for both trade and for the warships of the Western Lands. The streets, at this time of night, were mostly deserted; only those whose employment had them up at these hours were about, and he was often greeted with nods and cheery calls of good morning, which he gladly returned. He had eschewed his armor, instead dressed in what would have been casual in Asgard: breeches, boots, and tunic, Mjolnir hanging from a loop on his belt, his hair tied back from his face with a leather thong. He most likely still resembled a stranger to the city, but that did not matter. What mattered was the relative solitude his meanderings brought and, if that solitude was disturbed at times by friendly folk out and about, Thor did not mind.

Thor disliked inaction, and that was what he was being forced to endure until some sign of Loki could be discovered. The Baronial Council had agreed with his appeal to join in whatever action was taken when Loki was found, for which Thor was quite grateful. They could have very easily refused him, as he was a stranger without much standing within their country, and yet they had overwhelmingly acceded to his request. It boded well for relations between the Western Lands and Asgard when Thor came to the throne of his own country.

However, Thor felt the need to _act_. He pondered his choices as his steps took him toward the outskirts of New Andrade, where many of the residents of the great city had their habitations, wanting to come up with a course that would allow him to be of some use. There was not much he _could_ do, not until new intelligence came to the fore.

And yet, there was perhaps one thing he _wished_ to do.

By the time he arrived back at the Baronial Residence, Thor believed that he knew what he would, indeed, do this thing.

The sun had risen, and the front of the Residence was bustling with the business of a new day. Thor took the steps up to the entrance, greeting and being greeted in return by workmen and soldiers and others who would have reason to be at the Baronial Residence at this time of the day. He had been out and about for hours, he realized that he had lost track of his time so lost in thought he'd been.

There was another person at the desk in the foyer, a young woman with brilliant red hair and cherubic features. Thor would have supposed her age at perhaps sixteen years, and yet she was in a position of protection and guard, and that would have spoken of her competency to sit in that chair.

She smiled, revealing a pair of rather fetching dimples. "Your Highness," she greeted, standing. That was when Thor was able to notice the wand and knife at her waist; the young woman was perhaps not as young as she appeared, as she would have had to have been a Master Wizard if she had been gifted that blade.

An inquisitive chirp sounded at somewhere around waist level, and Thor turned his attention to the dragon that had managed to sneak up on him. It was a brilliant green, with silvery eyes that shone with curiosity. With a smile, Thor reached down and carefully scratched the dragon on the muzzle. "You are quite a handsome one," he commented as the dragon cooed at the attention.

The Wizard chuckled. "Keep that up and Harper will follow you home." Her own grey eyes were as bright as her dragon's. "Is there something I can help you with, Prince Thor?"

"Indeed." Giving Harper one last pat, Thor straightened, giving his full attention to the Wizard before him. "I was in search of Master Richard. Can you help me in my task?"

She rolled her eyes fondly. "He's my father, and yes…I know exactly where he is at this time of the day." She offered her hand. "Mistress Alexis Castle, Great Order."

"Tis a pleasure, Mistress Alexis." Thor bent over her hand gallantly. "I would be most grateful if I may be allowed to speak to your father." He thought, perhaps, that Mistress Alexis would have been able to aid him as well; however, her father was Court Wizard, and the request should be made to him as ranking Wizard.

"Dad is either still in bed, or he's in his casting chamber, since this is a non-Court day," she continued, leading him away from the desk. Out of the corner of his eye, Thor noticed someone taking her place; it was Sir Kevin once more, and he gave a nod in passing. "However, Kate's out in the city so I'm pretty sure he isn't in bed." She smirked, as if enjoying an excellent joke.

Ah. Master Richard and Sir Kate were lovers. That was an interesting development. Thor had not noticed any sort of partiality between the two; that spoke well of their ability to compartmentalize their duties to the Baronial Court.

Mistress Alexis led him outside the Residence and then down the street. Thor was somewhat surprised that Master Richard's casting chamber was not within the Baronial Residence, it would mean that he would have to leave in order to perform his more powerful magicks. As if seeing his confusion, the young Wizard said, "When Dad's heavy into experimentation, he uses the casting chamber at home. Baroness Victoria has had to warn him about explosions within the official building…it tends to scare anyone who doesn't understand that magic can be rather…loud."

Now, that _did_ make sense. Any sort of explosion could very well cause panic, visitors assuming that the Residence was under attack.

"Now, if Dad's _writing_," Mistress Alexis continued, adeptly avoiding a woman with five children who had chosen to take up the entirety of the width of the walkway, "then sometimes he'll go to his study in the Residence, although he complains that it's too easy for people to interrupt the flow, as it were. He hates being interrupted when he's working on one of his books."

"Your father is an author?" Thor did not have to pretend to be interested; storytellers in Asgard were very highly honored.

"He writes mysteries." Mistress Alexis looked proud. "His novels are bestsellers here in the Western Lands. It's how he met Kate – she's a former magistrate. It was how she'd paid her way through school, and she kept it up while working toward her Knights' Spurs. Dad was doing some research for a book, and he ran into her over the old case. That's also how they both met Baroness Victoria…she wasn't Baroness then, though."

Mistress Alexis continued chatting as they made their way down the street, Harper a green dot overhead. Thor laughed as she spoke of her father's misadventures, thoroughly entertained. Master Richard had had a storied past before rising to his current position of power, and Thor hoped to find one of his novels and read it at some point. When he said as much, Mistress Alexis told him to simply mention it to her father, and Master Richard would be glad to get him an autographed copy.

The house they were going to was not that far, which explained why Mistress Alexis had not bothered to Teleport them there. It was a three-story structure, built of red brick, almost as if it had once been some sort of storehouse. Thor found that more likely once they were within and out of the crowd; the interior of the lower floor was spacious, large windows letting in the sunlight and illuminating a living space that was furnished comfortably and not ostentatiously. A wooden staircase led into the upper levels, which Thor assumed were the sleeping areas. An expansive kitchen area was just off the living area, the entire residence open and pleasant to the flow of air.

There were also many bookcases, fairly stuffed with all sorts and sizes of reading material. There was a desk off to the side, where Master Richard must craft these mysteries that he was apparently so adept at.

It hardly seemed the abode for a Court Wizard, however Master Richard – through Mistress Alexis' tales – seemed not at all taken with the trappings of power. Which, in his opinion, was the best sort of high Court official.

"It's this way." Mistress Alexis ushered him toward a door in the far wall, one that was forged from steel and he assumed would have been strongly warded against intruders. However, his guide easily opened the door with a wave of her wand, revealing a well-lit staircase spiraling downward.

There was a rustling and, turning toward the sound, Thor noticed Master Richard's dragon curled upon one of the sofas, watching them quizzically. Then, upon recognizing Mistress Alexis, he sighed and laid back down, Harper joining him and sprawling across the larger dragon.

The stairs downward were steel, and Thor's bootsteps rang has he accompanied Mistress Alexis down into the bowels of the world. While Thor was not a Wizard himself, he was conversant of Wizard ways, and knew that excavating within the ground was for the protection of both Wizard and the people who lived around them. Accidents did occur, and the earth would swallow the damage done in the case of such accidents.

He could feel the tingle of magic around him as a charge in the air, much like the lightning he could summon with Mjolnir, only much fainter. Thor supposed that they were passing through the wards that had been placed about the casting chamber, and he doubted that he would have gone as far underground if not for Mistress Alexis guiding him and allowing him access.

"Hey, Dad," she called down in warning just before they reached the bottom of the circular staircase. There was no door leading into the chamber itself; however, the steel door at the top of the stairs would have been security enough against forcible entry.

There was a strange sound, and Master Richard's voice floated toward them, "Oops."

She laughed. "It's not like you couldn't have heard us."

"Us?" Master Richard's head peered around the opening leading into the chamber. "I thought those couldn't be your footsteps, sweetie. Prince Thor, welcome to our home." He stepped all the way into the archway, nodding his head in respect. He was wearing clothes that were obviously meant for work, clean yet there were old stains on the tunic and a hole at the hem, the trousers well-worn and slightly baggy. There was a small smear of something on his cheek, and he seemed unaware of its presence. "Sorry, I was working on a potion."

"I apologize for ruining your work, Master Richard." That had been that noise; Thor may not have ever seen a magical potion made, but he did understand that they were ruined easily, hours of work lost.

The Wizard waved it off. "No worries. It's not something that I was going to succeed at anyway, at least not the first time. Why don't we head back upstairs and you can let me know what I've done to earn the honor of a visit from the Prince of Asgard."

Thor let himself be ushered back up into the living area, where their conversation would be made in more comfortably surroundings.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Master Richard offered, once Thor was seated on the sofa not occupied by the two dragons, Mjolnir set on the floor at his feet. "It's a little early for wine, but I have a particularly nice vintage if you're interested. There's also coffee and tea."

"Coffee would be most welcome." He had become quite enamored of the potent drink during his last visit to the Western Lands. Asgard did not have the beverage, which was a terrible shame. He could not convince Odin to have it imported, and had to do with whatever he could have brought to him by traders who plied their wares south of the kingdom. He had yet to perfect the making of it himself, although the Lady Sif had become quite proficient.

"I've got it, Dad," Mistress Alexis offered. "You and Prince Thor can talk while I'm making it."

"Thanks, sweetie." He kissed the top of her head, and she rolled her eyes as she left them to go into the kitchen area. "Now," he seated himself in the chair nearest the sofa, "what can I do to help, Your Highness?"

"I have a favor to ask of you," he began, hoping it would be well-received and not cause insult.

"I'm not exactly sure what sort of favor I can do for you, but please. Ask away."

Thor took a breath, hoping he was not about to cause any sort of offence. "I would ask if it were possible for me to meet with Grand Master Phil Coulson."

On his ramble through the city, Thor had come to the conclusion that he would wish to meet the Wizard who he suspected had survived duel with Loki in person...although he had been told it had been another Wizard his brother had faced and defeated; this so-called Dark One, an evil Wizard so much worse than Loki himself that Baroness Victoria would believe that Loki had done the Western Lands a favor by killing him. While no one had come out and given him the name of this man, it had not been difficult to deduce from the small clues he _had_ been given and despite the conversation he had been a part of, that explained what had occurred all those years ago.

He could not say why he was very nearly certain that Grand Master Phil Coulson and this Dark One were one and the same individual. He needed to take the measure of this man, this Wizard, to judge for himself what manner of person had managed to live facing Loki in combat, as what his instincts were telling him was indeed true.

Thor was not entirely certain of his beliefs in the matter, however, and he needed to know. As it was, how then, had a Wizard so cursed become the leader of his Order? It was yet another mystery he felt he needed to unravel. His mother had stated that this Wizard had survived, and had become highly placed within the Wizard's Guild, and she would be in a position to know of this.

He had received, as it was called, mixed signals, despite the certainty of those who seemed to be involved that the Dark One had, indeed, been killed.

Some of those mixed signals had come from the man sitting opposite him.

Master Richard's eyebrows rose. "May I ask…why would you want to? I mean, I'm not sure I understand the request."

There was something in his tone that communicated to the prince the he knew exactly why he was asking, and yet it was a confidence he could not confirm nor deny. Thor knew of the laws of the Wizard's Guild, and had to assume that this information would somehow break one of those laws.

And so, he decided to be forthright with Master Richard, to explain exactly what he'd guessed about the Grand Master's connection to Loki.

"I do believe he is the one that Loki was to have killed in ritual duel, despite hearing to the contrary," Thor replied, "and yet he lived. If Grand Master Phil Coulson is indeed this one, then his life is undoubtably at risk from Loki." He sighed. "My brother does not take defeat easily."

Master Richard blew out a breath. "I don't know Grand Master Phil, so I wouldn't be able to introduce him to you." Indeed, he did not confirm nor deny Thor's suppositions, which spoke volumes to the Prince. The Wizard's expression flickered between so many emotions Thor could not read any of them.

Thor was disappointed by this, although he had considered it may be the case.

"However," the Wizard continued, "I can contact my own Grand Master, Stephen Strange, and see what he can do. I can't promise anything, but if you're determined to meet with Grand Master Phil then he would be the one to talk to about it. Although, I can't say if he really is who you think he is."

Thor felt that he _knew_ he just had confirmed it, but could not say it aloud. Perhaps he had sworn some form of vow of secrecy over the events of the past, especially if this story of the Grand Master being once so evil was in truth. "That would be most kind, Master Richard. I would be grateful to you if you would not mind interceding on my behalf with your Grand Master Stephen."

"Come on, then." Master Richard stood. "My mirror is just over here."

It was a plain-seeming mirror, hung upon the wall by the desk. It looked to be a simple piece of silver-backed glass without frame, and there was nothing that told of its magical nature.

Master Richard stood in front of the mirror, muttering under his breath. As Thor watched, the mirror became murky with fog that flowed across the surface of it like a cold night on the border of Asgard and Jotun, the mist icy against bare skin.

And then, the mirror cleared, and it no longer reflect back the image of Master Richard and his home. Instead, the room that now shone within it was some sort of library, with many books on many levels within the depths of the magical glass.

It took some time for anyone to appear within the mirror, long enough for Thor to begin to wonder if anyone was at home. The man who stepped into sight was rotund, his dark hair shaved close to his head, facial features marking him as from the Eastern Empires. His clothes were dark, and plain, and his expression was one of irritation, as if he had been interrupted during important business.

_"__Yes?" _the man answered gruffly.

Master Richard did not seem to take offence by this man's rudeness. "Master Wong," he greeted the stranger, a tiny smirk on his face as if this Wizard's attitude was amusing. "Is Grand Master Stephen available?"

_"__No." _If it were possible, this Master Wong sounded even ruder than before. _"He's off on Guild business. I'll tell him you called."_

"Actually, just tell him that Prince Thor of Asgard wants to get an introduction to Grand Master Phil." Thor moved into sight of the man in the mirror, showing himself in proof of Master Richard's behest.

Master Wong sighed, his dark eyes darting toward Thor and then rolling in exasperation. _"Now I'm a glorified scribe. Very well. I am expecting him back soon. I will give him that message."_

"Thanks. Prince Thor can hang around here until Grand Master Stephen gets back. Just have him call my mirror."

Master Wong did not respond. The mirror's surface turned to fog once more, and Master Richard turned away from it. "Well, that went better than usual."

Thor cocked his head quizzically. "He is an unfriendly sort."

"Yeah, but that's just Wong, he doesn't like anyone. To be fair, he was actually pretty laid back this time. He's not one for fuzzy feelings."

"He will pass along the message to Grand Master Stephen?" Thor did not wish to doubt someone he had yet to meet; however, Master Wong had been a surly individual and the prince was not certain of his word in this matter.

Master Richard waved off his concerns. "Master Wong can be an ass, but he's trustworthy. If he said he'd pass along the message, then he will."

He chose to trust the Wizard in this. "Very well, I shall await the call."

"Then, let's enjoy our coffee while we wait. I hope you don't mind, but I have some questions about Asgard that I'd love to ask."

"Not at all. I shall enjoy answering them. And, if you have no objection, I should like to know more about the Western Lands." After all, anything that brought about understanding between their two countries would only be for the good. "And about these novels that Mistress Alexis say you are adept at writing."

The Wizard's face brightened. "Sounds like an even trade. Come on, have a seat, the coffee smells like it's almost done."

Thor was of the distinct impression that his day was going to be even more enjoyable than he'd believed when he'd been unable to sleep and had gone roaming New Andrade.


	28. Chapter 28

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto was deeply disturbed by what Phil had just done.

Oh, not that he'd been _able_ to it, because he'd known he could…but that he'd had to do it _at all_.

He should have expected it, knowing about Pierce and the Void Point he'd managed to corrupt. Ianto had known he wasn't as conversant with the Void as he perhaps should have been, only dealing with it when it came to breaking curses, and he'd also known that the Void permeated the curses than had been laid upon Sir James, but he hadn't taken into consideration that the corrupted Void would act any differently from the pure Void he was somewhat used to.

When the Void had begun fighting him, Ianto had done his best, but he'd been glad when Phil had interrupted him. He'd understood at once what was happening, and had been happy to step back and let his Void friend handle it.

Ianto just hadn't realized it would be so bad.

Phil was Void Champion. That meant that the Void would always come when he called. When this version had begun fighting against Phil as well, Ianto had known they were in trouble.

Phil, however, hadn't been about to give up.

When twin screams had rung out, one of agony and the other of defiance, it had been all Ianto could do to stay where he was and witness. Stephen had actually taken two steps forward, almost stumbling to a halt when he realized he wasn't going to be able to help. He'd had to physically stop Daisy from darting forward and grabbing her father, her terror at watching him crash to the floor too much for her.

Clint, however, stayed where he was and watched.

Ianto would admit that the Elf's gaze had frightened him.

It was Steve, though, that truly surprised him.

Steve stood where he's taken up watch, not moving a muscle, as his best friend was writhing in agony within the Containment pod. Ianto couldn't really see him all that clearly; there was just a smudge of Void in the corner the Knight standing in, and that signature did not shift at all. What sort of strength did it take to not rush to James' aid at once?

It was most likely the same core of strength that kept Clint in his own spot, when his lover was on the floor, in obvious pain.

Ianto watched in horror, unable to help his friend as Phil pulled the majority of the tainted Void out of James Barnes and drew it into himself.

He'd thought Phil would simply release the Void once it was out of James, but he realized that couldn't be possible, not with it being so damaged. But, to take it into himself…the Wizard knew his friend would have to release it eventually, likely into the Void itself. Ianto was worried that Phil wouldn't have the strength, not with what he was going through. How long would he have to hold that piece of Void within himself, until he'd regained the strength needed to open a Void Point and send it back home? That sent a chill through him. How would carrying around that tainted Void affect his friend?

There were questions and Ianto simply didn't know enough to answer them.

For the longest time, he had been considered the strongest Wizard in the world. That was until Phil Coulson had proved to be his equal and, in many ways, his superior. Yes, Ianto could do things that Phil could not, but Phil could also perform tasks that Ianto simply was unable to. They weren't equal, not really. They may have been just as powerful, but not in the same ways.

Ianto had to wonder if this act would be the one that would prove to be Phil's undoing.

He was watching Phil closely, monitoring the battle as much as he could, when he noticed that his Void Wizard counterpart seemed to gain strength from somewhere.

He blinked, letting his magical sight take over. In it, he could see a thin band of magic leading from Phil…to Clint, who had finally taken a step forward, his bow held loosely in his hand, eyes focused on the shivering body of his lover.

Ianto had seen the connection between these two. It was much like the magical connection between himself and Jack, and at first had believed it was simply that band that linked lovers who were as close to soulmates as could be found. It had been a pale thing, not at all like what he and Jack shared, but the Wizard had thought it would only be a matter of time before it grew.

But, seeing it now…it pulsed with magic, the pure form of Void, which should have been impossible as Clint wasn't a Wizard and, as far as anyone knew, didn't have a magical bone in his body save with the senses that a full-blood Elf would have been born with. He would be able to see some forms of magic, although not clearly, and to sense if an item was magical but not what sort of magic it had been enchanted with. Toshiko herself had had a fairly thorough education in magical theory, but that had come from her time within Nippon Enclave. Clint hadn't had that sort of schooling and had only picked up what he _did_ know from his time with the Dark One.

And yet…

The Queen of Air and Fire had gifted Clint with a dragon, which should have been impossible.

Was Clint really a Wizard, one that hadn't been discovered and Tested? No, that couldn't have happened, not even with him being an orphan in the traveling show. Besides, he would have shown magical ability at some point, and the archer never had done. Clint himself had even commented about his lack of magic, so that let that out of the realm of possibility.

No, this most likely had something to do with Phil, and his love for Clint Barton.

But that didn't mean that Clint should have been able to share his strength like what he was obviously doing, let alone giving off the stream of Void Ianto was seeing.

Ianto watched as Clint, as if pulled forward by that cord of connection, dropped to his knees beside Phil and pulled his lover's head into his lap. Both Lucky and Lola, who had been startled out of their dragon pile with Skye, Myfanwy and Agamotto, were by their sides in an instant, Lola looking pale and frightened as she curled up next to her Wizard, affected by whatever it was Phil was dealing with. Lucky settled right next to his own companion, lending Clint his own support.

The Void coursed between them all, strong and sure.

Ianto could tell when the battle between both forms of Void was almost over when the cord connecting the lovers began to fade back into what Ianto was used to seeing: a slim, glowing thread that bound the pair together. However, Ianto thought he could see miniscule flecks of Void in Clint's eyes, and that should have been impossible as well.

The flecks faded out as Phil came back to himself.

Claiming to be alright to continue, Stephen helped him up, and they got him into a chair. Ianto wasn't so sure his friend was up to it; it was obvious he was in pain, the fine lines around his eyes deeper than usual. However, Phil was strong, and he felt as strongly about not letting James get back into that damned Cabinet as Ianto did. James had even given the Wizard an out, which Phil refused to take.

And so, Ianto got back to work.

Now that Pierce's tainted Void was gone, the curses unraveled fairly easily. The Berserker was first, and it seemed to fade away with just a few of its strings pulled, hardly fighting back at all. The _geas_, however, was nasty, and it took a lot out of both Ianto and James to undo it.

It was an insidious web of magic, wrapped about James' very soul, entrenched within him even without the Void empowering it as it had. There was still Void there, but it wasn't the tainted sort that Pierce had used to reinforce it, and he did have to rely on Phil to help him with it. They'd known that the _geas_ would be worse of all the curses, but this was even worse than what they'd imagined. Just as Ianto would get one part of the _geas_ undone, it would pulse and spread out, as if it knew somehow that it was in danger of being pulled apart and was attempting to defend itself.

He wasn't about to let it win.

Time ceased to have any meaning when Ianto was so deep within his magic like this, caught in the battle for an innocent man's life. He was aware that James didn't consider himself innocent, not after everything he'd been forced to do by his Hydra masters, but in the end he hadn't been in control of his actions. If Ianto had had any doubt of that – and he hadn't – then fighting these curses would have disabused him of that notion. James Barnes had been a puppet, and Ianto was determined to sever the strings that had been binding him for so long.

When he eventually had both of the _geas_ removed, Ianto had to take a step back and breathe. That had been the most difficult thing he'd ever done, yet it had been worth it. His knees felt like rubber and his pulse was beating in his head, but at least that part was done. He could accomplish the rest somewhat easier, now that the biggest pair of curses were gone.

He was going to have to wait a little while, though, for James to recover. He was seated in his chair, slumped over against the Containment field, shivering as the worst of the withdrawal surged within his body. "Stephen," he called, "can you fetch one of the healing potions, please?"

Without a word, Stephen did as Ianto asked, being just as worried about James as Ianto was. "Here." He passed the sealed bottle over.

Thanking him, Ianto stepped past the Containment field. Impulsively, the Wizard reached out with his free hand, stroking the suffering man's lank hair and not minding that it seriously needed a wash, wanting to soothe James in some way and knowing it wouldn't succeed. "Here," he urged, offering the bottle. "This may help a little."

James looked up, his pupils blown with pain. "Thanks. But give one to the Grand Master, too. He needs it as much as I do."

From his chair, Phil chuckled hoarsely. "What's wrong with me won't be fixed by one of those, Sir James."

"After all that shit, you should probably call me James."

"Then, it's Phil." There was a tiny thread of sheer excitement in Phil's tired voice. Ianto recalled that his friend had been a fan of Sir Steven's, back when the man been the Paladin of the Western Lands, and that had apparently leaked onto the Paladin's best friend as well.

James accepted the potion, his hand shaking almost too badly to raise it to his lips. The magical arm didn't move, a sign that what they were doing was truly working. "May I?" Ianto inquired softly.

"Yeah."

With that permission, Ianto held the bottle to James' lips, and he drank the entire thing down. Licking his lips, he snorted. "Cherry flavored?"

Daisy was laughing. "It was my favorite when I was a kid. Dad would always use it to flavor whatever medications I would need to take when I was sick."

James gave a weak smile. "Does that mean I'm being adopted, too?"

"Hey, I have a new sister. Why not a brother, too?"

It was Phil's turn to laugh. "How about an uncle instead? I'm a little too young to have a son James' age."

"Uncle James." Daisy tried it on for size. "I think I like that."

James' shivering was lessening, so the healing potion appeared to be working. "I can't even remember if I had a family before."

"I'm sure you did." Ianto stroked his fingers through James' hair once more. James leaned into the touch, which wasn't a surprise; he was bound to be touch-starved after so long. "And I'm sure they missed you terribly," he added, thinking of Steve in his corner.

Steve must have been eaten alive with worry and the need to help his best friend, and yet he was staying put. This had to have been the hardest thing he'd ever done, to stand back and let people take care of the man he loved when all he wanted to do was to help. Ianto knew how he'd feel if it was Jack, and resolved to get Steve his friend back at all costs.

"So," James spoke, his voice already stronger, "what's next?"

"We're going to get that arm off." Already, the removal of the _geas_ had rendered the arm just a useless lump of metal on his shoulder, which was a good thing. "Once we do that, we can take a break and finish this up tomorrow, once everyone's had a good nights' rest."

"Let's do it, then." James was resolved and relieved at the same time. The Wizard could not even imagine what he must have been feeling, at the very notion of being rid of that arm.

When they'd been planning this, Ianto had originally wanted to save the Contamination for last. However, it had become apparent that they simply couldn't leave the arm on, and to take it off they would need to at least diminish the Contamination that was keeping the arm in place. If he weakened that, then they could take the Artifact away without harming James.

"Stephen," Ianto said, "would you mind bringing the case I've prepared to hold the arm?"

"I will." Using his magic, Stephen floated the large steel box over to set it just outside the Containment pod's influence.

When he'd taken over the Archives at Torchwood Castle, there had been such boxes used for the most powerful Artifacts, in order to make certain that any danger was contained. He'd adapted them to the Archives here; now that Artifacts seemed to be popping up all over with the rediscovery of magic, more had been needed to contain what was being found all over the world. The arm would be safe within it, and then Ianto would make certain it was stored away. He was hoping that, by removing some of the worst of the curses, he could put it to good use. Oh, not as a replacement limb; it had been made for a specific person, out of love, and it would never be implemented for that purpose again.

No, Ianto was hoping to utilize the arm as a teaching tool, for those students and Novices who were healers, for them to learn exactly what was possible with magic, and the power of love. To let them study the arm minus the curses, and perhaps to encourage a few to create better sorts of prosthesis for amputees all over the world.

He was determined that something good would come out of so much pain.

Ianto stepped back out of the Containment field. "We'll need to rid you of the magical Contamination, then we'll be able to remove the arm forever. After that…I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starving. Dinner will be on me." He'd already planned the meal out, having prepared everything ahead of time. Using such magic always made him famished, and he knew Phil would feel the same…if he managed to stay on his feet that long.

"Let us begin."

With that, Ianto called his magic back to him, the Deep Ways thrumming through his very soul. His agile fingers traced through the air, seeing the lines of Contamination easily, and working his way along them until they began to fray.

Smiling, Ianto kept at it.


	29. Chapter 29

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint couldn't really communicate just how relieved he was when they were done with the curse breaking for the day.

Seeing Phil, noticing how weak he looked sitting in that chair, had torn him up inside. His lover, usually so very strong, had been felled by an overuse of magic two days in a row, and that was something he never wanted to see again.

Even the most powerful Void Wizard in the world, Void's Champion, had his limits. Clint hated that notion with every fiber of his being, but then no one was all-powerful in the end. And all he could do was pray to any and all Gods that would listen that he somehow could lend some of his own strength to the man he loved.

And, at one point, he thought he was. At least, that was what it had felt like; a draining, however slight, and if he'd been seeing things Phil had seemed to regain a little of his own strength back.

No, it wasn't possible. There really wasn't any way for him to do that sort of shit. He was just a mortal, an Elf, and not someone with any sort of magic. Still, it had been a nice thought, that he'd be able to support Phil in some sort of capacity besides encouragement.

Anyway.

For now, all he could do was watch, and worry, and hope that Phil really _did_ know his own limits and would understand the need to back the fuck up if he needed it. Although, as familiar as he was with his lover, that might be asking a little too much. Despite his really excellent attempt at hiding it away under the guise of the Dark One, Phil Coulson was quite possibly one of the most self-sacrificing idiots he'd ever met, and he'd do anything to help Sir James be free of what Hydra had done to him over the centuries.

By the time Ianto stepped back, deactivating the Containment Artifact they'd been using to hold Sir James, Clint was almost overcome with anxiety for his lover. Phil was grey, his normally steady hands shaking, slumped in the chair that had been pulled up for him, his eyes almost silver with fatigue. The usual miniscule black flecks that floated in them now were almost gone, which was disturbing without all the rest of the physical symptoms adding to it. All Clint wanted to do was bundle him up and take him home, and he could tell that Daisy felt the same about it, in the way she hovered behind Phil's chair, her dark eyes worried and her own hands twitching as if she wanted to reach out and grab him.

Lola was seated at her Wizard's feet, head resting in his lap, her own scales so pale they were almost pink and grey. She was reinforcing Clint's own opinion that his lover was almost beyond the end of his endurance. He met Stephen's eyes; they were concerned as well, and he motioned Clint off to the side as Ianto was busily checking on Sir James…or Uncle James, as Daisy had dubbed him. Honestly, the Elf could think of worse people for that honor, and if anyone needed family around him, it was the former Winter Knight.

He supposed that meant that Steve was also going to be an unofficial Uncle. He was gonna be buying that man all the drinks he wanted after this was all said and done, because if anyone needed to get blindingly drunk, it was Steve Rogers. He'd managed to stand still and let things happen, and that had to have been killing him.

Clint made his way over to Grand Master Stephen, who led him away from the group a little ways. "What is it?" he asked softly, because he was a little afraid that what Stephen was about to tell him wasn't something he wanted to go loud with.

"I'm worried about Phil," he answered. "Not only has he overextended himself for the second day in a row, he's also taken into himself all of that tainted Void that Pierce had used to reinforce all those old Hydra curses. It's sick, Clint, and he's going to need to expend it as soon as possible."

Clint was appalled. He'd known it was bad, but this…Pierce had warped the very Void and, while he'd understood that Phil had had to get that out of Sir James, he hadn't really known that it would have affected his lover. After all, Phil was Void Champion, and this had been Void he'd dealt with. "Is it really that bad?"

Stephen nodded. "When we went into this, I'd fully expected Phil to pull all that Void out, but to release it into the world to join whatever Void there was around us. I hadn't expected him to take all that into himself, although I understand why he did it." He ran a hand through his hair. "It needs to be sent back into the Void, where it can heal. The problem is…"

"Phil's exhausted himself," the Elf finished.

"He has. He's going to have to carry that tainted Void around with him until he's regained enough strength to pull open a Void Point and send it back. However, we all know how much power that takes…"

They did. Clint had seen the aftermath of Phil's exile of Alexander Pierce. Opening that Void Point had taken a lot out of Phil. If he had to wait… "Just how long can he carry that shit around inside him?"

"I don't know. I'm not as familiar with the Void as I should be." He sounded frustrated, but Clint couldn't blame him for his lack of knowledge on the subject. After all, Stephen was a Great Wizard, and not used to dealing with either the Void or the Deep Ways all that much. "Clint, you'll need to watch him for any ill effects. With the bond you both share, it should be simple for you to tell, if anything _does_ happen before he can expel the Void safely."

The archer frowned. What did he mean by bond? Yes, he loved Phil more than anything, but how would that help if anything came up that wasn't obvious?

The Grand Master must have noticed his confusion. He cocked his head, his eyes examining Clint closely and then softening a little. "You don't know."

"Know what?" He was a little frustrated by all the mystery.

Stephen rested a hand on his shoulder. "There is a bond between the two of you. A magical bond. I don't know where it came from, but I believe it's a form of soul bond…which is very rare. The only other one I've ever seen is between Jack and Ianto. It means you're connected in a way no one really understands, but it's a permanent thing."

Clint's jaw dropped in shock. A bond between him and Phil? And it was magical? How had that happened? Did he want that sort of thing? "Will it…will it hurt Phil?" He was desperately worried about his lover. If something like that would do any harm…

"Oh, no. Not at all. Look at Jack and Ianto. They're perfectly fine with it. No, Clint…this is a blessing. The bond between you hasn't fully matured, but when it does…it's going to be magnificent." He smiled. "Then the support you gave Phil through it when he was in distress was completely unconscious."

"I…felt it," he said in wonder. "I thought I was imagining it." That sharing of strength, the one that he'd prayed for. And Clint had thought he'd seen Phil rally a little afterward.

He heard Lucky cooing at him; glancing down, he saw his dragon staring up at him, his brown eyes whirling in delight, as if Lucky had known all about the link and was glad that Clint had finally figured it out. And maybe he had. Who knew what dragons could tell about a person?

"You are at the beginning of something, Clint," Stephen said, "some sort of destiny, but I couldn't begin to say what that was. You're the only non-Wizard ever to be granted a dragon by the Queen of Air and Fire herself. You're the lover of the very first Void Champion in written history. My friend, you are in a unique position, one that we can't possibly explain."

A destiny…the words sent a small shiver down his spine. That was what Barney had said, wasn't it? The message given to him by the UnEarthly Child. That she would find him, and tell him his destiny. Clint hadn't really believed it; as part of a traveling show, he'd seen all sorts of hokum where fortune tellers were concerned. Most of them had been con-artists who'd only told the shills what they'd wanted to hear.

Yet, the UnEarthly Child was always right, even if she only spoke in riddles and it wasn't obvious until all was said and done. At least, she was according to every story he'd heard. Even Jack had claimed the same, having had first-hand experience with her. She was also supposed to be the Balance to the Deathless, which was pretty hideous, truth be told, since she would have had to become that at such a young age to still resemble a child, and why would the Gods do something like that to a kid, anyway?

"I think I know who might," Clint said slowly. He explained about meeting his brother – without all the emotional upset involved with it – and how he'd been given a prophecy by the UnEarthly Child, and that she would be coming for him at some point.

Stephen was nodding at the end of the tale. "I've not had any dealings with this mysterious being myself, but I am aware of her. I'm certain either Jack or Ianto will be able to fill in some details, if Jack hasn't already."

Jack had, but it wouldn't hurt to ask for more information, if either had it.

Still, Clint was having a hard time with this whole destiny thing. He wasn't really anything special; just an Elf who'd had a shitty life and who'd lucked into a relationship with the man he'd loved for years and who'd thought was dead, until he wasn't. If anyone, _Phil_ was the special one. Clint was there to help him as much he could, to raise the family they'd gathered around them, and hopefully live a long time.

He glanced back at his lover. Phil was unsteady, but he was on his feet, hovering over Sir James and checking on him as best he could where the arm had once been attached, but was now locked away in its new storage box. Ianto stood beside him, hand just below his elbow, not quite touching but ready to catch Phil if he happened to fall…which was a distinct possibility, as weak as he looked. Daisy was standing not that far away, her hand stroking Lola's head, Skye around her shoulders, biting her lip as if she was trying to keep herself from saying something she would regret later on.

There was a sparkle of silver on Phil's hand, and Clint couldn't help the smile that pulled his lips upward at it. It was the ring, the one Ianto had enchanted for him, the one that would give them the chance to, one day, have a physical child of their own. That would be a long way off, and Phil still hadn't asked Clint to marry him like he'd said he would, but the Elf knew it was only a matter of time before that occurred. Accepting and choosing to wear that ring had been Phil's promise that it _would_ happen someday.

Clint was looking forward to it.

Stephen was smiling when Clint turned around once more. "You have a family, Clint. They love you very much."

"And I love them," the archer hastened to add. He did. He'd had no idea what he'd done to deserve such a family, but it was his, and he would cherish everyone in it, and protect them with his life.

"Of course you do." The Great Wizard managed to make that sound not at all condescending, which was a trick Clint really wished he could learn. "You deserve it, and I hope one day you'll see that."

Trust the powerful Wizard to get what Clint had been feeling.

"But you have a place in events as well," Stephen continued. "What that place is, I cannot say. I don't have that gift. But, I do think you should meet with the UnEarthly Child when the time comes, and see what she has to say. I'm not telling you that you have to take her advice, but just listen. It might be something good."

Maybe he would. And maybe Stephen was right: whatever this strange kid had to say might very well be in Clint's best interests. "I'll consider it. But," and he took a deep breath, "at the moment I think it's time I took a certain Wizard home and put him to bed. I'll keep watch on him, too, like you suggested."

"Ianto planned a meal; however, there's nothing that says you have to stay. I'm not sure Phil will be up to staying, really. But he should eat something before sleeping, to better to replenish his reserves. And, if you can get him to stay around the Keep tomorrow and relax, I think that would be the best. He'll need to regain his strength before he can dispel the sickened Void into an opened Void Point, and we both are aware he'll need to be at near peak to do that. But Clint," he rested a hand on the Elf's shoulder, "watch him. Make certain the tainted Void doesn't affect him in some way. He seems to have it under control for now, but we cannot be certain if that control may slip."

Clint nodded. "Alright. I'll watch out. But what do I do if something does happen?" He was suddenly very afraid for Phil, that the Void that kept him alive would turn on him in some way.

"Use your bond. You might not have been aware of it before now, but now that you do, it will come when you need it. Have faith in it, and in your love for Phil. That will see you through."

"Stephen," Ianto called.

The Great Wizard gave him a wink, then headed over to the rest of the group. Clint followed, intending on letting them all have one final conference then whisking Phil away back to Shield Keep, where he would proceed to take care of his lover to the best of his ability. He knew he'd have an ally in Daisy if Phil tried to disagree with him, and Crystal too, who would be down as soon as they sent the word up to Eirlys. And there was no way Phil would be able to resist Crystal's emotionally lethal gaze.

"It looks good," Phil was murmuring when they drew up. "The original wound was long healed, and there's hardly any irritation in the shoulder or chest."

"It feels sore," James admitted. "But it also feels…_right_. The arm was never mine, and it shouldn't have been a part of me."

"Exactly," Ianto agreed. "And it's not a part of you any longer. We'll take care of it now."

James' eyes were wide, and were lighter than Clint had ever seen them. "I…can't thank you all enough. I know all the curses aren't gone yet, but I can't remember feeling like this. I'm free, for the first time in centuries."

"I'll get to the last of them tomorrow," the Cardinal Wizard promised. "For now, I have food upstairs, then we all need sleep. Especially Phil."

"I think I should be getting Phil home, actually," Clint put in. He wrapped an arm about his lover's waist; he could feel the fine tremors that were wracking Phil's body. He was also cool to the touch, which was worrying. "I'm not sure he'll stay awake through a meal, really."

He didn't want to add that he didn't think Ianto would, either. Their friend was haggard, but it wasn't nearly on par with Phil's exhaustion.

As for James…yeah, he wouldn't be up much longer, either.

"I understand." It was obvious that he wasn't just saying that, either. "I'm going to feed James and Stephen, then, and show James where he'll be sleeping tonight. And it's not going to be in that damned Zero Cabinet, either."

"I can't remember the last time I slept in a real bed," James admitted. "But then, I can't remember a lot of things, so there's that."

He was trying to make jokes. Clint considered that a good thing. Because if the man could joke about his amnesia, the Elf thought it was going to eventually be alright.

"I'll send Eirlys down with Crystal," Ianto said, as he helped James to his feet. The former Winter Knight stumbled, unused to being…well, lopsided, was the best term Clint could come up with. That arm had to weigh quite a bit, and to suddenly be missing that…yep, Clint would have stumbled, too.

Phil nodded. "Thanks. I don't honestly think I could make it up the stairs at this point."

Ianto gave him a worried smile. "Promise me you'll get rid of that bad Void as soon as you possibly can. I worry about you, Phil."

"I promise. I don't want it inside me anymore than anyone else does. It…itches, I suppose."

"I suspect it does more than that." Ianto touched him on the shoulder. "Rest well, my friend."

"You as well."

The three of them waited until Stephen, Ianto, and James – with dragons – were gone, the door closed behind them, then Phil called softly, "Steve."

There was a shimmer in the area where Steve had taken up temporary residence, and suddenly the Knight appeared, the Perception filter in a hand that was visibly shaking. He was shocky, his face sweaty and pale, and to Clint it looked as if it was only sheer willpower keeping him on his feet.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Phil truly was, but Clint figured it hadn't been his fault. Steve had insisted on being present for the curse breaking, he should have been prepared for the worst.

And yet, Clint suspected it hadn't been as bad as it could have been, which was frankly terrifying.

Steve's mouth moved, but nothing came out. After a couple of heartbeats, he managed, "I was told it was going to be bad…but, Gods, it was so hard to just stand there and let it happen. But I wanted to witness it, for Bucky…"

"I know." Phil was being totally understanding. Clint felt the same way. Steve loved James, and seeing someone you loved to be so hurt had to have been horrific.

Hells, Clint was currently holding his lover up, so he knew _exactly_ what Steve was going through.

Daisy made her way toward Steve, taking his hand as soon as she could. "Hey, it was bad but at least the worst of the curses are gone now. Ianto can remove the rest fairly easily. You don't have to be there for that."

Steve nodded jerkily. "I think I've seen enough of that, thanks." His expression was pitifully grateful, as if he was embarrassed to be so glad not to have to be present for the rest, happy that someone was giving him permission to skip out on it all.

"Why don't you go home, Steve," Clint suggested. "Go and talk to Sam. It might make you feel a little better if you do." Sam was a good man. The archer had been impressed with him from the moment he'd met the half-Elf. If anyone could help Steve deal, it was Sam Wilson.

"Yeah. I think I will." He swallowed, his gaze going to Phil. "I can never repay you for what you've done."

Phil shook his head. "There's no need for repayment. James didn't deserve what he'd got dealt, and as Void Champion it was my responsibility to help since it had been Wizards of my own Order who'd done this to him."

"And Dad just likes to help people," Daisy added, grinning. Then she smirked. "Uncle Steve."

Steve was startled by that, and Clint had to chuckle at his gaping like a fish. "What?" he finally spluttered.

"Well, if one of you is my uncle, then the other should be, too."

"You have family, Steve," Phil said. "It might not be the one you were born with, but I think we can all safely say that it's the family you choose that's more important."

Clint couldn't argue with that.


	30. Chapter 30

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve Teleported back to Triskelia Castle, still in shock at what he'd had to witness.

He'd certainly expected it to be bad. But what had actually occurred…he never wanted to see anything like that again.

The Artifact he'd been given deposited him back into the Baron's sitting room, glad it was empty at the moment. He really didn't want to deal with anyone right then; he just wanted to get back to his own rooms, and have a quiet breakdown all on his own.

He didn't have that sort of luck, because Sam was waiting for him.

Which he should have expected, because Sam was just that sort of friend. He would have known that Steve would be upset, and want to help as much as he could. It certainly helped that he'd been trained for that sort of thing, even though he wasn't there as Dr. Wilson…it was as Sam, Steve's friend.

The moment Steve set foot into his sitting room, Sam was by his side, helping him with the armor he'd worn to the curse-breaking. He hadn't had time to change after the Baronial Court, just able to remove his sword from his belt, so it felt good to have someone aid in its removal. Sam's deft fingers pulled at buckles and ties, eventually getting it all hung up on the rack that had been made for that purpose; the shield he'd carried for so long as the Paladin of the Western Lands set beside it, in sight but not used any longer, now that he'd given up that title and had just become Sir Steve Rogers, Knights' Commander of Barony Triskelia. Then he steered Steve toward the couch, pushing him down onto the cushions then offering him a glass of…it looked like Elf spirits, which Steve seriously needed.

The strong drink burned going down, and he savored it. "Thanks," he said, holding the glass out for more once he was finished.

Sam poured. "Take it easy," he cautioned. "That stuff is powerful."

"I'm aware." He'd had it back during the war, and it had been one of the few alcohols that had managed to get him drunk. Steve had a very strong tolerance to most spirits, so to actually be affected like that had been a treat. Gabe had teased him mercilessly about the it next day, not caring one jot about how much Steve's head had been banging at the time. Gabe was happily sadistic like that. It was one of the reasons he liked the Elf so much.

He nursed this one, just to make Sam happy.

His friend waited patiently, which was a good thing because Steve _really_ needed to get a handle on his thoughts. He started to talk and then stopped a couple of times, his tongue tripping over itself in trying to find the right words, then finally settled on stating the obvious. "I never want to see anything like that again."

Sam didn't say anything. Which just meant Steve needed to fill the silence.

"Bucky and I have been friends since we were kids." He had no idea why he was starting with that, because Sam had to know at least a little of their history, if just from their own conversations. "We grew up in a little place called Brook's Glen, outside of New Andrade. I was a sickly boy. When I was a baby, there was some serious doubt I'd survive to learn to walk. But I did, and I got bullied a lot because I was a lot smaller than most boys my age, which meant I had to stand up for myself and I really _hated_ bullies. So when I was older, I'd start fights with them, just because I was an idiot who didn't like seeing anyone treated the way I was."

Sam snorted. "I bet that didn't get you anywhere."

Steve smirked. "Not so much, no. However, it did get me my best friend, which meant it turned out alright in the end."

He went on to tell the story of how Bucky had found him, a scrawny ten-year-old, trying to punch the lights out of three larger boys just because they'd been pushing around a little neighbor girl, and getting his own lights punched out. Bucky had waded in and had taken out two of them on his own, leaving one for Steve…

"And I kicked him in the nuts."

That had Sam chortling. "That should teach them not to pick on someone smaller than them."

"They certainly didn't want it to get around that a scrawny punk like me had taken out one of them," Steve laughed.

He filled more time telling Sam all sorts of stories about Bucky and their time together, making his new friend laugh at their antics. It felt wonderful to recall those times together; they weren't always good, but they'd had each other, and that had been enough.

He was aware that he was letting more of his private emotions to show, but this was Sam, who would keep things in confidence. Besides, it appeared as if Daisy had already guessed, judging from her 'Uncle' comment. Steve had to wonder just who else had figured it out, and he assumed Sam already had, if only because he didn't seem all that surprised.

"You and Bucky were close," Sam observed, "so it's no wonder you were distressed by what happened today. Hells, you've only just been able to process being in a different time than what you were used to, and then to discover the man you'd thought you'd lost had been cursed and tortured by Hydra, who you'd been fighting back in your own time."

Steve sobered. "Yeah. I've been so desperate to help Buck that I didn't realize until today that it was something I couldn't do myself, that I had to rely on others to do what I wasn't able to."

That had been the main lesson he'd learned today: that he was very ill equipped to handle what had been done to Bucky. That he had to leave it to others to do what he wanted to be able to do himself. He wasn't a Wizard, so he couldn't remove the curses; and he doubted that, even if he _had_ been one, that he'd have succeeded at what had been a tough job for two of the most powerful Wizards in the world. Phil had looked positively ashen when he'd gotten done pulling the Void out of Bucky, although if he'd understood correctly it hadn't been the same sort that had been removed from Steve himself. It had been sick, Phil had claimed, and Steve remembered hearing the story about the Void Point that Hydra had messed with. The same Void Point that Phil had brought Steve out of, and had closed behind them.

He told Sam about it, what he'd overheard, and what he'd had to do to be in the same room during the procedure. Sam, being the empathetic person that he was, sat and listened, resting a hand on Steve's shoulder in companionship and refilling the glass that he'd emptied once again during his story time about Bucky.

He explained about the lengths that both Phil and Ianto had gone to in order to clear the curses. He couldn't help but feel both gratitude and awe for everything, but of them all it had been Grand Master Phil Coulson who had impressed him the most. His willingness to take the tainted Void into himself, so that Ianto could get the curses removed, which had led to the complete removal of the magical arm that Hydra had forced upon his friend.

Oh, he wasn't discounting what Ianto had had to do, but it had been Phil who had taken the greater risk. While he didn't know a thing about magic, he could tell that Phil had put himself on the line in order to save Bucky.

If that wasn't enough to win Steve's undying loyalty, nothing would be.

Of course, he knew that Phil was as near as immortal as a person could get, but what exactly would it cost him to draw all that sick Void into his own body? How would it affect the Void part of himself that was his magic? Ianto had made it sound very serious indeed, and he doubted the Cardinal Grand Master was prone to exaggeration.

"Sounds like you have a lot of good people in yours and Bucky's corner," Sam said, once Steve was finished.

"Yeah, I think I do." Steve couldn't believe it sometimes. Yes, he was so far from his own time that it was only talked about in history books – and a lot of those books had got parts of it wrong – but he felt himself lucky in falling in with some of the best people he'd ever met. It could have ended so much worse than it had, because at least he was still alive and relatively unscathed, where Bucky… "I know they'll do their best. They can't guarantee Bucky will ever get his memories back, but I have to hope he does. And, if not," he shrugged, "I'll meet him all over again and make new ones. But I have to believe there's _something_ there, and someday we'll be friends again."

"I will be the first person to tell you not to lose that hope, Steve. I know you won't give up on him, but don't ever think you won't get him back in some capacity."

"I won't." It was good to hear Sam say that. It reinforced how he was feeling about the entire situation.

"I have a question, though."

"Sure."

"If you were such a sickly child, how did you grow into this?" He waved a hand toward Steve now.

He had to laugh at that. "Sheer stubbornness. And the fact that Bucky decided that he didn't really want me to die and so took it upon himself to help me get healthy." Steve smiled fondly. "He once told me, that if I was so determined to beat up bullies, then at least I could learn to do it the right way. For years, he taught me how to fight but, more importantly, how to defend myself. A sudden growth spurt when I turned sixteen didn't hurt. He also did all sorts of research in herbal remedies and at one point even talked about trying to find some sort of healing Artifact out there…which never happened, but it just proved how much he cared about me."

"And then you were scouted by Howard Stark to be the Paladin."

"Yeah. I was never really supposed to be more than a symbol. See, even though I was now healthy enough to fight, the recruiters that came through our village wouldn't accept me, because of my past. They just didn't want to take the risk of me dropping dead on the battlefield from some sort of childhood defect that hadn't been caught. So, I was stuck at home, even though I wanted to follow Bucky into the army."

It still rankled, that no one had given him a chance. That everyone believed he would always be a product of his past. That everything that Bucky had done to get him healthy and strong hadn't meant a damn thing to any of them. To be truthful, Steve had been more insulted for Buck than he had for himself, simply due to the fact that Bucky had seen something in that punk-ass kid that was worth helping, and it felt like they were discounting his friend's ability to fix what had been wrong.

Bucky had worked just as hard as Steve had. It rankled that no one had been able to see that.

"And then, notice went out that Howard Stark was looking for someone to become a rallying point for the military. The war wasn't going so well, and he'd come up with the brilliant idea of having a symbol people could follow. I figured it was my chance to do some good, so I went to the audition."

"Wait," Sam exclaimed, "there was an _audition_? That's not what the history books claim."

"I've found that the history books often have stuff wrong in them." Steve had done a bit of reading in the near-month he'd been out of the Void, and some of what he'd found had been absolutely hilarious. He could understand why Jack always laughed when someone brought up the legends of the Deathless, because they were usually just as outrageous as the stories told about Steve's own 'recruitment'. "There wasn't any magic involved; I don't get why that's even part of the history, since magic was practically non-existent back then. Howard didn't use any sort of Artifact to find me. Nor was there any sort of spell or potion that made me like this." He waved his own hand down his chest.

Sam was laughing. "I really should have asked Gabe for more details."

Steve grinned. "To be fair, I'm not sure even Gabe knows the entire story." He settled back, knowing he was going to enjoy this. "There were about a hundred men and women who showed up for that damned audition. That's how I met Peg, you know…Captain Margaret Carter. First woman I ever fell for, but she was strong as tempered steel and just as sharp. No one ever survived giving her shit." He had really fond memories of Peggy; he would have been happy to marry her, he just hadn't loved her in quite the same way as he had Bucky. However, Bucky had never shown any interest, and Steve had been too much of a coward to ruin their friendship by confessing his true feelings.

"Anyway," he continued, "Howard and the rest of this committee, they'd formed had certain _ideas_ about what a Paladin should be. Peggy, though…she had it right. She wanted me in the position almost from the moment I met her. I have to wonder now if she might have had some sort of magic, or instinct, because she just looked at me and knew I was Paladin material."

"Baron Nick's Steward, Sharon, is a distant relation, isn't she?"

Steve nodded. "I was really glad to know that Peggy moved on with her life after I vanished." He didn't add that Sharon, as she didn't resemble Peggy all that much, really didn't do anything to bring all those memories back. After all, three hundred years was a long time to breed any sort of 'Peggy-ness" out of the family line. Yes, Sharon was tough and organized, and could apparently kick all sorts of ass, but beyond that there was no resemblance at all.

"I take it Peggy's opinion won out."

"Well, not even Howard Stark could tell her no when she put her foot down. You know, I really wasn't all that surprised that Howard's family had become Barons. They weren't back then, but Howard just had this…attitude. I can't really describe it, only to say he would have made a lousy Baron even if the aura of power was there." He was so glad that Tony really wasn't all that much like Steve's Howard; as much as he'd liked the man, Howard had been a bastard who hadn't cared for much beyond his own personal agenda.

Tony was directly opposite of that. He cared for his people, and was always trying to make life better for them and for others. Steve was impressed by him; Pepper had once told him that Tony hadn't always been that way, but any person who could grow into that sort had had that greatness in them from the beginning. It had just taken being kidnapped to bring it out.

"When I was proclaimed Paladin of the Western Lands – I thought that was pretentious as hells – I really thought I'd get to see some action. That I could get out on the front lines, to maybe even find Bucky…but no, that wasn't the case. Instead, I was paraded around as a recruitment tool, which drove me insane half the time." He remembered seeing one of those old posters in Phil's study, and it had brought back a tiny flush of embarrassment that he'd been a part of all that. They really had needed someone like him to bring in people to fight, but it didn't make Steve feel any less self-conscious about it.

"But you eventually ended up on the front lines anyway…with Bucky and the Howling Commandos."

"I did." Steve smiled fondly. "They were a great team. They had no problem accepting me into their ranks, even made me their leader. Not sure I deserved that, but I did the best I could." He finished his glass of liquor, waving Sam off when he offered a refill. "I've had enough for now."

"Feeling better?"

Steve considered. "Yeah. I think I do." He still felt guilt about not trying to find Buck after his fall, but he thought he could be excused for believing his friend had died. Still, if he'd searched, he may have found Bucky before Hydra and the Skull had… "I think I need something to eat, though. Care to accompany me down to the kitchens to see what they might have lying around?"

"That sounds like a plan."

Together, they stood, Steve holding the door open for his newest friend and Sam giving him a playful slap on the upper arm for the courtesy. Honestly, people could be so rude in this century, forms of politeness Steve had grown up with now lost, replaced by other forms. He was still navigating his way around, and there were times when he believed he'd never fully get the hang of things. Holding the door for someone was just one more thing that just wasn't done anymore. At least, for men doing it for other men. Steve had seen it done for women, and there were times when he could see the woman being a bit insulted by it but accepting anyway.

Yes, there were things he was never going to understand.

He just had to accept that fact.

That still wouldn't stop him from doing it, though. Some things were just too ingrained in him to ever be completely changed, even if they were looked down upon now.

People would just have to get used to his old-fashioned manners, as Baron Nick had claimed at one point.

Steve could get behind that sentiment.


	31. Chapter 31

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-One

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Dad _really_ needed to _stop_ doing this sort of shit.

Bad language _definitely_ required.

They didn't stay at Ianto's all that long after Baroness Eirlys brought Crystal and Lockjaw down to them. Crystal had freaked out a little when she'd gotten a good look at Dad, and not even Daisy cuddling her seemed to make her feel any better. Dad had attempted to reassure her, but he just was too weak to hold her like she wanted him to.

It didn't help that Daisy wanted him to hold her, too. But it was all he could do to stay on his feet, and that was with Clint helping him with an arm about his waist. His face was so pale the skin was practically translucent and, in her magical sight, his aura was all over the place. Usually, Dad had a calm, powerful aura, almost like inky armor surrounding him, but now that armor was as grey as his complexion, obvious weaknesses showing up as cracks that spread outward, splintering that seemingly unbreakable armor.

And, if she was seeing it this way, Daisy had to wonder what her little sister was seeing, since she was Void. She was afraid to ask, because she really didn't want to know, not with the way Crystal had been panicking.

However, there did seem to be a thread of _something_ magical between her Dad and Clint. She'd seen it, when Dad had first collapsed after removing the Void from James. She'd never seen anything like it; it was a sort of bond, she guessed, one that allowed her newer Dad to share his strength with her first Dad, and she suspected that link was the only thing really keeping him conscious at this point. Clint was helping, not only physically but magically as well, and the young Wizard didn't know how it was done but she was grateful for it all the same.

The moment Steve was gone back to Triskelia Castle, Clint triggered the Teleport artifact to get them back to Shield Keep. They didn't appear in Dad's casting chamber like usual; instead, they Teleported into the main hall. Daisy's surprise must have been really obvious, because Dad explained, "I thought it might be more convenient to show up here, instead of the casting chamber." His wry smile was a shadow of its usual self. "I wasn't sure what condition I would be in, and the last thing I wanted to do was take the stairs up to here. It's going to be bad enough going up to the bedroom."

"I'm still going to have to drag up there, though," Clint pointed out.

"You'll have help." Andrew seemingly appeared out of nowhere, startling Daisy just a little. He stepped up on the other side of Dad, taking on some of his weight from Clint. "You're home now, Phil. You can stop with the strong façade and let us take care of you."

"I wanna go with Dad," Crystal practically wailed. She struggled in Daisy's arms, and she might have dropped the little girl if not for Melinda also showing up and pulling her away and holding her tightly.

"It's alright," Phil tried to soothe her. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Crystal seemed to calm a little. "I wanna go with you and Daddy. Please?" she begged pitifully.

"I'll tell you what," Clint said, "let me get your Dad settled into bed. Why don't you help Melinda fetch your Dad something to eat, then bring it up to him? You can stay a little while, at least until he's asleep."

"Okay, Daddy," Crystal sniffled.

Daisy doubted that Dad had believed it would be as bad as it was, when he let Crystal come along. She knew he certainly wouldn't have wanted to upset Crystal this badly, and would have insisted she stay home if he'd had any inkling of what he'd have to do to help James. Sure, she could see him figuring out that he'd be tired – since they'd Teleported into the main hall, after all – but not to this extent.

The tainted Void must have been affecting him in some way that Daisy couldn't see. She hoped that, after he'd slept a while, he'd be able to open a Void Point and expel it all before it did any sort of permanent damage. She only wished there was a convenient, already open Void Point around that he could use instead, so he wouldn't have to wait.

Daisy still found it amazing just what her Dad was capable of. It should have been scary, but to be honest the only thing she was terrified of was of Dad doing something brave and selfless and being injured by it. He wouldn't have been killed, the Void wouldn't allow that, but there were worst things than death.

"Crystal and I will be up shortly," Melinda promised. She hiked the little girl up on her hip, settling her comfortably, and then headed down toward the kitchens, Crystal watching them over Melinda's shoulder until they were out of sight.

As if Crystal leaving was a cue, Dad slumped even further into Clint and Andrew's grasp, letting out a breath of relief. Daisy hadn't realized that he was even weaker than he'd been letting on for Crystal's benefit, and a part of her loved him even more for letting her see him like this, that he wasn't putting up that front with her. But that didn't mean she had to _like_ it, and seeing him like that made her want to cry. Her normally strong Dad, looking like he was about to collapse…no, Daisy didn't care if she ever saw that side of him ever again.

"Let's get you into bed," Clint murmured.

"One moment."

Clint rolled his eyes at that. "I don't think you're gonna be on your feet for one more moment, Phil."

"Daisy," Dad looked at her, his smile gentle. "There are letters on my desk. When you go back to school, please give them to your friends. They need to go to their parents. They're for permission for me to ward them all…just in case. I've explained as best I can without going into detail."

The young Wizard had to wonder just how he'd spun, 'There's a crazy-ass Wizard on the loose, who once tried to kill me, and who probably knows I have a daughter and who wouldn't be afraid of using her against me. Oh, and that puts her friends in danger, too, so let me cast some Protections on them just in case'.

"I'll grab them." She hadn't planned on going back today, not with her Dad like this, but tomorrow, when he was a bit more recovered, when she'd feel more comfortable going back to school, but this was important and she'd get it done as soon as possible. She could always come back when she was done, and it wouldn't take all that long.

Dad nodded, then allowed himself to be practically carried away, hanging between Clint and Andrew, his feet moving but not really doing anything to propel himself forward. Daisy kept eyes on them until they got to the stairs, wanting to go with them but knowing that Clint at least would be undressing Dad and getting him into bed, and Daisy knew that her Dad would think that just a little too personal for her to witness.

Thank the Gods that Clint Barton was in their lives now.

Daisy sighed, heading into Dad's study. As he'd said, the letters were set out on the blotter, each one addressed to one of her friends, except for Wanda and Pietro, who of course had the same parents. It made sense for him to want to protect them; they might not have been official family, but Dad had taken her friends to heart, welcoming them to the Keep, and that counted for something. Hells, they all thought of him as some sort of surrogate parent as it was – except for Lincoln, because she and him were dating and that would just be plain weird – and Trip was still amazed that Dad had agreed to be his teaching Master. Daisy knew each and every one of them would jump at the chance to let Dad work his own brand of magic over them and, if she knew Jemma and Leo as well as she thought she did, those two would want to take notes at a Master's casting of those sorts of charms for later study. Daisy could easily see both of them using Dad's techniques in their own spell casting, even though they weren't Void.

Daisy was just getting ready to head upstairs, in order to put the letters in with her school stuff, when the unmistakable pinging of someone calling on Dad's speaking stone sounded in the room. It was on his desk, and Daisy picked it up, at least to take a message from whoever was calling, because there was no way she was going to get Dad up for anything less than the world ending.

She activated the stone. To her surprise, it was Stephen on the other end, his voice familiar to her as he greeted her.

And it still gave her a little thrill to know she was on a first-name basis with him and Ianto, two of the most powerful Wizards in the world. Although, to her, they were just Stephen and Ianto.

_"__How's your father? I tried the mirror, but he didn't answer."_

"He looks awful." She wasn't surprised that the mirror hadn't roused her Dad, although she was a little surprised that Clint hadn't answered, since the mirror was in the same room they were in. She didn't specify if him being exhausted was physical or magical; she knew she didn't need to.

_"__He should recover completely as soon as he gets the tainted Void out of him."_

That was what Daisy was hoping, too. Stephen sounded positive about it, and she chose to accept that he knew far more than she did about it. Which he did. He was a Grand Master, after all. "Is there something I can help with?"

_"__There is. Please give Phil a message for me: that Prince Thor of Asgard is asking to meet with him."_

Daisy thought her heart was going to stop beating, she was so shocked. "You mean…" she couldn't say it.

_"__Yes, he's Loki's brother."_

"Shit." She usually didn't say that sort of thing out loud, but she couldn't help herself. Loki's brother. Wanting to speak with Dad. It had to be because of Loki's escape, but why did he want to talk to Dad? Did the Prince somehow know that Dad had been the one to have faced Loki and survived to tell the tale? As far as she knew, no one from Asgard had been in the Quorum when Dad had been revealed as the Dark One, so why was he making this sort of request?

_"__That was my reaction as well." _Stephen sounded amused. _"Anyway, please have him contact Master Richard Castle if he chooses to take the meeting. Master Richard is the Court Wizard for Baroness Andrade, and he is completely trustworthy. He is of my Order, which is why he attempted to contact me to arrange the meeting. I received the message from Wong the moment I returned home."_

That made sense, because Daisy was wondering how Stephen had found out about Prince Thor wanting to see her Dad. "But why?" she blurted.

_"__We know that Queen Frigga had a friend within the Guild, and that's how we found out that Loki escaped. While that Master has sworn he hasn't broken the vows of the Quorum, we have to assume he said something that led both the Queen and the Prince into making certain assumptions in a direction we rather them not go."_

Alright, she could see that. "I'll tell him as soon as he wakes up. I'm not sure when that's going to be…"

_"__Thank you, Daisy. Clint will look after him, so he's in good hands."_

"Is it because of that link thing they share?" Daisy had to know. She'd seen it, and figured it was a good thing, but she had to be sure.

_"__Yes, it is. I thought you may have noticed it, as well." _Stephen sounded pleased.

"But what is it?" If anyone knew, it would be a Grand Master, and Daisy was understandably curious about it.

_"__It's a form of soul bond. It's extremely rare; I only know of one other, and that's between Jack and Ianto."_

A soul bond. She'd never heard of such a thing before. Did that mean they were always going to be together? That this had always been meant to be? Daisy had seen how Jack and Ianto interacted, how close they were. Would Dad and Clint be like that someday? If she went back over everything she'd seen between them, then she would now recognize that it was already happening. She'd never seen Dad like this around _anyone_ before, although to be fair he'd never really dated much before Clint had come back on the scene. Had he been waiting for the other part of his soul to come back? Was that why Dad had been so determinedly alone for as long as she'd been with him?

_"__Daisy," _he sounded so serious, she found herself leaning forward a little, even though he wasn't able to see it, _"your fathers are at the start of their journey together. They were destined for this. I don't know what that destiny _is_, but they are going to need their family around them. And, understand this: you have a bond between them as well. It's stronger with Phil than it is with Clint, which makes sense, but I can only see it growing the longer they're both your fathers. Of course, it's a different sort of bond than what they have, but it's nonetheless very real. You were _meant_ to be with them, you and Crystal both. The four of you are connected in ways that most families don't have. It was no coincidence that Phil found both of you."_

Daisy felt tears prickling her eyes. She'd always known that she'd been meant to be with Dad; from the moment he'd stumbled across her, she'd seen something in him that just screamed at her that this was the man who would be a true father to her, that she could always trust him to take care of her, just as she would take care of him. It had been that feeling that had had her putting her stolen knife away and taking his hand, letting him lead her out of the battle zone and eventually to Uncle Nick. She'd never been able to put that sensation of utter certainty into words before, but now she had them.

_Soul bond_.

That link between two people who were always meant to be together, to love each other and care for one another forever.

"Thank you," she managed to keep her sob down in her chest.

Stephen noticed, however. _"You're welcome. Now, I'm going to let you get back to your family. Please have Phil call me when he wakes up. He might be near-immortal, but I'm worried about him, too."_

"I will. And I'll make sure he gets your message about Prince Thor as well."

_"__From what I've heard, the Prince is a good man. He won't mean your Dad any harm."_

Trust him to know she'd need that reassurance.

Stephen said his goodbyes, the stone deactivating.

Leaving Daisy to her thoughts.


	32. Chapter 32

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil fell into a deep sleep the moment he finished the meal Melinda had brought to him, with Crystal at his side, Lola on the other side, and Clint watching over his rest from the chair in the corner, the eyes that saw so much ready to keep a guard on his sleep.

The Void was awaiting him.

The darkness murmured to him comfortingly, welcoming him into itself. There were no words that he could understand, but he _knew_, deep within his very bones, that the Void would always be a part of himself, as close as him to a lover, a friend, a companion on the same level as Lola was. The Void had chosen him to represent it to the rest of the world, and Phil would always take that responsibility seriously.

It shared his fears, his concerns, understood his love for his family. It accepted him for the flawed human being he was, despite his past, and had seen something in him that made him desirable as its Champion.

The Void had believed in him even when Phil had had crippling doubts. When he hadn't believed himself worthy of any good things in his life, worthy of friendship, worthy of love. It had soothed him although he hadn't been aware of it. It had calmed the rages that he'd been prone to as a child, as a young man who'd only wanted the rest of the world to hurt as much as he did; the Void was most likely one of the few things that had held him from the worst excesses of the Dark One.

Phil would now always be grateful that he was Void. That the Void had seen something within him that would make it choose him to be one of its Wizards.

The Void welcomed him, was attempting to heal him.

However, the tainted part of itself that he'd taken from James and into his own soul was preventing the Void from doing as much as it could.

He would have to expel it before it could continue.

Phil's eyes snapped open at the realization.

It was dark, the sliver of moon barely lighting the bedroom. At some point, someone must have put Crystal to bed, because she and Lockjaw were no longer there. Clint was, however, curled up around him as if to protect him by imitating one of the octopuses that inhabited the deep ocean. He turned his head just enough to look at his lover; Clint's face looked at least a decade younger in sleep, peaceful in a way he wasn't when he was awake, and Phil loved him so much more than he could say.

He was going to have to check on the wrist bracer he'd had commissioned, so he could go ahead and enchant it the way he wanted to, so he could ask Clint to marry him. A ring wouldn't work; they'd learned that wearing one affected Clint's use of his bow, which was why Phil had taken to wearing the magical ring that would allow them to, someday, have a child together. However, an archer would never have enough wrist protection…

As he lay there, in the dark and quiet, he could feel the sick Void pulsing within, next to the source of his own magic, an intruder sat next to his very soul. Phil needed to get it out, and it needed to be now, before it could take hold within him and taint his own magic beyond healing.

He still felt so very tired, but he could not put it off.

Phil would trust the Void to see him through.

However, as he lay there and dreaded what he'd need to do now, it came to him, an idea that had been percolating just on the fringes of his mind.

Not wanting Clint to awaken and find him gone, Phil pressed a kiss to his lover's forehead, using a tiny bit of power to send him into an even deeper sleep, the sweet scent of lavender filling the air. Then, he carefully pulled himself away from Clint's warmth, tucking a pillow into hands that grasped for him even in sleep. Phil smiled as Clint pulled the pillow to his chest, snuffling into it happily, as he dropped even further into dream.

He wished Clint could go with him, but this was something he'd need to do on his own.

Phil silently got dressed, his legs wobbly and his knees weak. He would need to hurry; he wouldn't be able to linger at his task. He would have preferred to wait until he was a little stronger; however, he wouldn't be getting that strength back unless he rid himself of the tainted Void.

He wished he'd never had to take it into himself, but he hadn't had a choice. It had needed to be pulled out of James before _he_ could be healed, and Phil had been the only one capable of doing it. And he couldn't just release it, there had been no telling what else it would have contaminated, and letting it free within Ianto's personal space would have only led to disaster.

Phil put on whatever came to hand, he didn't need to dress up for what he was about to do. He happened to tug on Clint's tunic, and he smiled as the scent of his lover wrapped around him. If he couldn't have Clint with him, this would be the next best thing.

He also dug out the full-length hooded cloak that he used mostly for winter. He didn't need anyone recognizing him, if he did happen to come across any late-night prowlers. The last thing he wanted was to have to answer any questions, because he didn't want to have to wipe anyone's memory of his presence. He really couldn't afford to use that sort of magic, not tonight.

Flinging the cloak about his shoulders, Phil stepped out of the bedroom. Both Lucky and Lola were curled up on the couch; Lucky stayed blissfully asleep, but Lola raised her head at his approach, trilling a question at him.

Silently, he asked her to stay put; she was striking in appearance, all red with that fancy black filigree along the edges of her scales, and anyone seeing her might realize just who was out and about at night.

She huffed disgustedly at him, crawling out from under Lucky's tail and mentally giving him what for, for daring to suggest she stay at home. With a flutter of her wings, Lola triggered her own, secondary dragon ability, and Phil found himself shaking his head as his companion grew until she was twice the size as she usually was.

"Fine," he capitulated so softly that the word was almost silent. She had a point, that people wouldn't put together the Grand Master's smaller dragon with the larger one that would be accompanying him now.

Her smugness flowed across their link, and the Wizard couldn't help but give her a skritch across her crest. He might very well need her, if what he was going to do became too much and he grew too weak to make his way out once more. With her temporary larger size, Lola could easily support him if he needed her to.

He had a feeling that he just might.

Together, they ghosted through the Keep, the soft boots that Phil had slipped on not making a sound on the stone. It was dark out on the stairs, but he knew this place, could navigate through it with his eyes closed, and so didn't need any light to see by. He knew exactly how many steps there were down to the lowermost level, how many strides it took to get to the casting chamber door. He passed his daughters' floor, and only the tiny glowglobe nightlight that was in Crystal's room was showing under her door; Daisy's door was also closed, which meant she'd come home from Gateway instead of staying in her dormitory room there once she'd delivered the letters. He was glad, since he worried now that Loki was loose, although the Wizard School was one of the safest places in the world. Even moreso, now that it had been proved that someone unauthorized could get in; see, Daisy's kidnapping by Grant Ward as the prime example. Now, only approved Teleport spells could be used, keyed to the school, and anything else would ping the Headmaster and the Steward if anyone suddenly appeared on campus without the proscribed clearance.

Phil might not have one of those particular Artifacts, he did have one that was keyed to the Quorum Hall.

Once he was in the stairwell down to the casting chamber, the glowglobes reacted to his presence, blooming into light, temporarily blinding him until he could blink his vision clear. Once he'd done that, he continued downward, Lola just behind him.

The casting chamber would hide the magical signature of his Teleporting away. Anywhere else in the Keep and Daisy could very well pick up on his leaving, even in her sleep. He didn't want that. He didn't want anyone to know he was going out. Phil didn't necessarily want to keep this a secret but the fewer people who knew what was going to do, the better.

Besides, he didn't want either Clint or Daisy lecturing him. He could do without that.

As soon as he got to the bottom of the steps and just into his casting chamber, Phil triggered the piece of natural quartz that was the Quorum's Teleport Artifact.

It brought him into his office in the Quorum Hall. As swiftly as he could, Phil and Lola made their way out of the deserted building, past the wards that recognized him as the Void Grand Master. With a single wave of his hand, Phil wiped his being there out of the wards, so no one would ever be able to trace him being there. It would usually be a simple thing to accomplish, but Phil was still drained somewhat from the magic he'd done earlier, so he felt the power leave him as he performed the spell. It was just a little drain, but he hoped he wouldn't have to do it again before getting to his destination.

Drawing the hood up over his face in order to disguise his features to anyone who might be out and about, Phil entered the city of Gateway, turning himself toward the Wizard School.

And the Wizard's Tower.

It was the chill hours before dawn, the dark sky broken up by the brightness of the stars overhead, unhindered by the absence of the moon. The Hunter was just above him, strong arm with bow extended, reminding him of Clint so much that he had to smile. The Hunter was chasing the Bear tonight, his Prey, and back before Phil had been poisoned by his parents, his father had told him the old tale of the Hunter, and how he'd always be after that Bear until, one day, he'd finally catch it.

He _did_ have some good memories of his parents. They were just buried under so much horribleness.

Gateway was still slumbering under the stars. On his journey, Phil only saw two people: one was a woman, heading out toward the edge of the city, her finery telling the tale of what she'd been doing that would have her going home so late. The other, a man, was out delivering bottles of fresh milk, his cart rattling down the silent street yet not waking anyone. Neither one paid him any attention at all, his form obscured by the cloak as he passed through the shadows along the walkways, the larger Lola not drawing any second glances as this was Gateway, and there were more dragons living there than perhaps any other city or town in the world.

He was just another anonymous Wizard, which was fine with him.

Although the city was asleep, the Deep Ways were not.

Being in Gateway had never bothered Phil, although he'd heard stories that some Voids were sometimes irritated by so much of the Deep Ways that Gateway seemingly thrummed with power. Students were immediately taught to shield if it got too much; Phil hadn't needed it, back when he'd been a new student, emotionally raw and angry at the world. Looking back on it, it seemed as if the Deep Ways had never been the irritation that it had been for other Voids, and he has to wonder if that was what prepared him for raising Daisy.

Daisy didn't seem to have any issue being around Voids, either. It was just one more thing that had the Wizard wondering if they'd always been meant to find one another, that destiny somehow played a role in their eventual becoming a family.

Passing into the grounds of the Wizard's School also proved easy. As Grand Master of Voids, nearly every ward in the city had been keyed to him, giving him unlimited access to anywhere he wanted to go. These wards he didn't bother to wipe; far too many people went to and fro from the school, and it would have been far too difficult to distinguish his magical signature from anyone else's, not without knowing what to look for, and using a much more in-depth scan of the wards than the majority of Wizards would have even considered doing. So, his presence at this time would be completely overlooked.

Which was what he wanted.

Phil did have to wipe his signature from the wards of the Wizard's Tower, but he'd been expecting that. The last thing he wanted was anyone to make even a cursory check of the wards, and see that he'd been there. Not for what he needed to do.

The alien Void was churning, as if sensing his plan. It didn't want to leave; he was another vessel, one that it could taint as surely as it had been tainted, and the last thing Phil wanted was to go back down that dark path that he'd walked for so very long. He needed it gone, and the saying, 'killing two birds with one arrow' immediately came to mind.

Then he huffed a laugh. He knew for a fact that Clint could do that very thing. It gave him hope that this was going to work.

The corridors of the Wizard's Tower were deserted. Anyone who would be awake and working now would be in the service areas of the Tower; the kitchens, stables, and other areas that would need to be attended at this early hour. He passed through the dimly lit corridors, toward his destination, a ghost of darkness and Void, Lola as silent as his own footsteps upon the stone of the floor. It wouldn't do for anyone to see him now, not when he was so close, but the Void was with him as he met with no one.

The passage down into the Archives was thick with gloom, a single glowglobe at the head of the steps and another at the bottom. As weak as his legs felt, Phil's steps were sure upon the stone, and he glided down and into reading room beyond, where a single Archivist sat, dozing at her desk, and yet another hand gesture had the young woman and her dragon both dropping deeper into sleep as he and Lola made their way farther into the Archives.

Deeper and deeper they went. Phil had only been this way the once, but he could recall the way vividly, as if guided toward his final destination.

The Secure Archives.

The longer he walked, the stronger the Deep Ways became. Phil easily remembered this same sensation on his first visit, as Ianto had led him and Stephen toward the Secure Archives room, and he wasn't able to brush it aside as easily as before, not having warded for it this time. Mostly, it did not bother him too much, but the tainted ball of Void was becoming more and more active, straining against the prison that Phil had confined it to, uncomfortable at being exposed to its opposite self. He laughed at it silently, understanding that it needed to escape, and yet would be unable to; the Deep Ways would repudiate it harshly, not wanting it within one of its most hallowed areas.

It was one of the reasons that Phil had chosen to come here, to this place, so that when he released the tainted Void it would have nowhere else to go but where he intended it to go. It would be repulsed by the Deep Ways, and would want to hide.

The door to the Secure Archive was practically a beacon in the wall of the darkened hallway. The spell work in it was so very intricate, Ianto's magical signature writ across the runes as if he'd signed his name to the magicks themselves.

He would need to remind him about that Revulsion spell. It was quite delicate for what it actually did.

Resting his hand upon the Recognition rune, Phil used his Archive key to open the door. When Ianto had said he was going to key Phil into the magic itself, so it would give him access, the Wizard hadn't been all that certain it was a good idea, but now he was glad that Ianto had insisted. Phil was quite certain that his friend hadn't considered this sort of action when he'd chosen to do it, but Phil was also fairly certain that Ianto would understand, once it got out what he'd done.

The door opened easily, the Warning glyph not activating as he stepped inside, past the Disintegration spell laid upon the first flagstone – a spell that gave him the shivers when he considered it – and into the Secure Archive. The glowglobes automatically came on, illuminating the space, and he couldn't help the slight shiver when he took in the Artifacts that Ianto had squirreled away within.

Each and every one of them shouldn't be allowed to ever see the light of day again.

The spear lay where they'd left it, on the desk at the far side of the room. All three of them had wasted so much power in trying to break it, and they'd all failed. But, Phil thought he could understand why they had; that thing didn't belong in this world, with so much power funneled into it, that there wasn't a way to physically affect it with simple magicks…even if they were a force of nature.

It wasn't the spear itself, though, that was so powerful.

It was the stone set into the hilt.

He'd been right when he'd said it didn't belong in this world. It had been mounted into the spear by a very powerful Wizard, back in the far past, but the stone itself hadn't been an original part of the spear itself . It, and the gemstone within what Ianto had called the Pendant of Souls, were both otherworldly, and Phil had been willing to bet they'd come from the same place, and put within their settings by the same Wizard.

They both shouldn't be there.

However, Phil had only come for the spear.

It was the Artifact that held his attention, and his ire, and his total and complete fear. Oh, it wasn't because it had killed him – although that didn't hurt – it was because what it had done to Clint. His lover still had nightmares about the actions he'd perpetrated when under Loki's thrall, and Phil was determined that it would never happen to anyone, ever again.

Lola chirped at him worriedly, and he glanced down at her; she'd regained her true size once they were in the Secure Archive, and her blue eyes were dark with concern. He rubbed her head and then along her jaw. "I'll be fine," he assured her, his voice whisper-soft although there was no reason for it. "I think it's time we do what we came here for."

Lola agreed fiercely, her wings mantling as she reared back and away from the area where he would be doing his work.

Phil took a deep breath, centering himself. He'd done this before, with Alexander Pierce, and it had tired him out. He'd been at the height of his power then; now, he was exhausted and not at full strength, so he had no idea if this would even work. Which was one of the reason he'd chosen to come here, to the Secure Archive; if something did occur, then the tainted Void would be trapped within the Archive and away from anyone it could corrupt.

Lifting his hands and praying to the three Gods and to the Void that was his life's blood, Phil tore a hole into the Veil Between, creating a Void Point.

Before, it had needed to be large enough to swallow Pierce. Now, though, that size wasn't required. It only needed to be able to take on the tainted Void…

And Loki's spear.

Phil had honestly thought about tossing the other Artifacts into the Void as well, but then decided not to. For one thing, they were fairly safe where they were; and secondly, if the room was empty that could conceivably be noticed quicker. With just the spear gone, it would perhaps fly too low for anyone to see it missing too quickly.

However, the Void within him needed to go first.

Reaching into that place where he'd chained up the tainted Void, Phil pulled the fiercely struggling substance up and out of himself, keeping it from fleeing with his own powerful grasp that he had of the Void itself. The tear within the Veil was singing, the healthy Void calling to the damaged part of itself, wanting it to come home so it could rejoin itself and be healed. Phil wished he, himself, could answer that siren song, to step into the Void and simply exist within it.

He couldn't do that, but it didn't stop him from longing for it.

The Void he'd taken from James suddenly stilled in its struggles. While Phil could never pretend to fully understand the Void and its thoughts, this he could tell…it was making a choice, between being smothered within the Deep Ways that saturated Gateway, and the place where it could exist with the rest of itself, where it would be safe and whole once more.

The choice was a simple one really.

With an inaudible sigh, the tainted Void allowed itself to be drawn back into the main body of the Void, giving up its fight to stay outside of its own self, leaving the purpose that Hydra had given it and taking up its home once more.

Once it was gone, Phil reached toward the spear. The metal was cold in his hand, achingly cold, but he ignored that, and the memories of that freezing blade piercing his body from the back and protruding from his chest, in order to thrust it, point first, into the tiny crack he'd created in the Veil, shoving it into the Void, which accepted it simply because he was asking it to.

The Void knew what that weapon had done, what it was capable of. It knew that it had been responsible for its Champion's first death, the one that had brought Phil into the Void, to be chosen to be Void Champion, and to live for eternity as its representative in the world. The Void, in the end, did not wish pain upon its favored and, while that spear had set into motion the events that had brought Phil to this point, the Void understood why it needed to be hidden away forever.

Once the spear had vanished within the Void, Phil grasped the edges of the tear he'd made, and wove them back together, taking his time to make certain there were no leaks.

By the time he was done, Phil could barely stay on his feet. Lola grew larger, in order to support him, and her worry made his head hurt. He would never tell her to stop; it wasn't her doing that he was in pain, and too exhausted to move.

However, he felt better. The ill Void was gone and out of him, which meant he could now heal completely. It had needed to be done, and this had been the best way to do it.

Phil draped his arm around Lola, mindful of her wings. "Let's go home," he murmured, not wanting to head back up yet needing to get out of the Archives so he could Teleport home. At least he wouldn't need to go all the way to the Guild Hall in order to do that; he could simply leave once he was completely out of the Archives.

And so, letting Lola help him along, Phil limped out of the Secure Archive room, stumbling a little as he made his way up and out of the warren of tunnels under the Wizard's Tower, once again passing like the very shadow of the Void, no one noticing him as he left for home.


	33. Chapter 33

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint stumbled down into the kitchen the next morning, rubbing his eyes and in serious need of coffee.

Last night was strange. He knew he'd slept, and slept well. But, at the same time, it almost was like he'd slept too long, more than the hours that he actually had. It must have been a deep sleep because he'd been certain when he'd gone to bed last night that there would be nightmares involved; there usually were, when Phil was down after using too much of his magic. The night before had been that way, and the Elf figured he'd only gotten about two-thirds the rest he usually did.

It should have been the same last night. Instead, if he'd dreamed he didn't remember it, which was really unusual for him.

Phil, however, was still out. He hadn't even awakened when Clint had crawled out from under the blanket, and he hadn't exactly been quiet getting up that morning, getting his foot caught in the sheet and practically dragging everything off the bed in his attempt to get himself untangled. He just hadn't been his usual, graceful, self.

And yet, that hadn't been enough to rouse Phil out of the deep sleep he was in. Even Lola was down, and Clint had carried her from the couch in the sitting room into the bed so she would wake up next to her Wizard and not be alone, since Lucky had decided to come with him instead of lazing around. But then, breakfast would be waiting, and Lucky didn't skip meals for any reason whatsoever.

That dragon was going to get fat if Clint wasn't careful.

Both Daisy and Crystal were eating when he eventually dragged himself downstairs. Both girls looked up at him when he entered the kitchen; Daisy's question was a silent one, but the archer thought he was getting good enough to interpret the silent, _'How's Dad?' _in the rise of her single eyebrow and the questioning look in her eyes.

Crystal, however, was anything but silent. "Daddy!" she exclaimed, climbing down from her chair and throwing herself at his legs, nearly sending him backward onto his ass. She wrapped her arms around his thighs, squeezing almost too hard for comfort. "How's Dad? Is he coming down too?"

Clint gently disentangled himself from her clumsy hug, kneeling to look her in the eye. "Your Dad's still asleep, sweetheart. He'll probably be out for a while yet."

The little girl's mouth turned down, lower lip trembling. "Dad's gonna be okay, right?"

"Oh yes. He'd just really tired." Clint hugged her, wanting nothing more than to reassure her. "Now, finish your breakfast and we'll see what we can do around here until he wakes up."

He took her back to the table, lifting her and sitting her back in her chair in front of her unfinished oatmeal. When Clint straightened back up, it was to greet Andrew, who had a cup of coffee ready for him. "You are a god among men," he moaned, taking his first sip and scalding his tongue. "Aw, coffee, no."

Andrew was vastly amused. "That'll teach you not to drink it until it's cooled down a little."

It probably wouldn't, but Clint did allow him the point.

After collecting his own bowl of oatmeal and fixing it the way he liked it, then getting Lucky his breakfast, the Elf joined his girls at the table. "Are you going back to school today, Daisy?" he asked, taking his first spoonful and savoring it. He hadn't really had oatmeal until he'd had Andrew's. He had no idea what the man did to it to make it taste so good, even without the fruit and cream Clint always added.

"Actually," she answered, "I'll be at Castle Ferrous. It's a one-on-one day and Pepper has me working on some control issues I still seem to be having. It's just easier that I use her casting chamber instead of potentially destroying a lab at the school." She looked a little chagrined, but honestly Clint thought she didn't have anything to be that way about. Daisy was woefully overpowered, and needed the help, which she was getting. He trusted Pepper to do the best she could for his daughter.

It was good, though, that she'd be away from the Keep, and busy enough so she wouldn't worry overly much about Phil…not that it would necessarily stop her. Also, Castle Ferrous was not only heavily warded, but Baron Tony had also added some of his own science tricks to castle defense. Daisy would be safe there.

Oh, it wasn't as if she wouldn't be safe at the Wizard School. The Headmaster had had a lot of extra ward work done after Daisy got kidnapped the first time, so the place was as safe as if possibly could be. Still, Clint felt better that Daisy was going to be at Ferrous.

"Have Dad call me when he wakes up?" she asked.

Clint gave her a smile. "You have to ask?" He made it sound teasing, and knew he'd succeeded when she grinned at him.

"Yeah, I suppose not. Oh, and please don't forget to let Dad know about that call from Stephen yesterday. I don't know what he'll want to do about it."

Clint nodded. She'd told him about Prince Thor wanting to see Phil last night, after his lover had fallen asleep. He didn't know what the Prince of Asgard wanted with Phil, but he could make some guesses. Just from the request, he figured that Thor knew just who Phil was to Loki, and wanted to talk about that, and he was with Daisy about not being sure if Phil would even want to speak to the Prince.

Personally, the idea that Prince Thor knew who Phil actually was, was worrying. He didn't like the fact that there were people out there not bound by the rules of the Quorum and not members of the family being aware that Grand Master Phil Coulson had been the Dark One in another life. Clint didn't trust anyone with his lover's safety, especially a total stranger who had no real reason to keep the knowledge secret.

Still, he'd mention it. It would be up to Phil if he wanted to arrange a meeting.

"Crystal and I can hang around here," Clint said. He turned toward his youngest daughter. "I can read some more of that book you liked."

Crystal bounced in her seat. "I'd like that, Daddy. I wanna find out what happens to Harry and his friends at the Wizard School!"

Daisy rolled her eyes. "You're reading her _that_, Clint?" She was distinctly unimpressed.

"It's not that bad," he defended, although it kinda was. The author got so many things wrong about magic and the school that he was surprised no one had complained about it instead of each of the books in the series becoming best sellers. Still, he supposed that the stories did bring a certain cachet to the school itself. And, at least the writer hadn't bought into the 'Voids are Evil' aesthetic. After all, she'd made Hermione Void, which was awesome. And all three of the kids were each a different sort of Wizard, and that was a message that made Clint smile, that all three Orders could be friends like that.

That lesson alone had been worth some of the more cringeworthy errors in the books.

Not much later, Daisy left for Castle Ferrous, so Clint finished his breakfast and had another cup of coffee. He figured reading to Crystal would distract her from the fact that Phil was upstairs, still deeply asleep, and hopefully she wouldn't worry so much about him if he kept her occupied. To be honest, Clint himself really wasn't all that concerned – alright, that was a lie – although he absolutely hated that his lover was so willing to do that to himself. Still, it had been to help someone who'd needed it, so the Elf couldn't say too much about it. Phil was always going to be a self-sacrificing idiot, which was one of the many reasons Clint loved him so much.

It was so very different from his Dark One days that the archer couldn't help but be pleased as well as horrified.

Not horrified that Phil had changed that much, but that all of that had been within him all that time and yet he'd never let it out, because it wasn't how a dark Wizard acted per his lover's own parents.

And there it was, the almost unreasoning need to track down Phil's folks and to show them the pointy ends of a couple of arrows.

Crystal finished eating before Clint did, and sat across from him, giving him the pleading eyes that she was so very good at until he was done. Laughing, he scooped her up out of her chair and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, making Andrew grin even as he stood out of the way as Clint carried his daughter out of the kitchen and toward the library. Lockjaw and Lucky followed in their wake, the smaller Lockjaw cackling in draconic laughter as Lucky shepherded him along.

Crystal giggled. "Put me down, Daddy!" she demanded, even though he could tell she really didn't want him to.

"Nope," he told her, tickling one of her flailing bare feet. "I've got you, and you're stuck with me now."

"That's good to hear."

The Elf turned, smiling as he saw Phil standing on the stairs. He looked so much better than he had last night; the shadows under his eyes were gone, and his skin was back to its normal color. He was still obviously tired, but not that horrible exhaustion from yesterday. He was also smiling at their antics, Lola giving her own dragon-y chuckles.

"Dad!" Crystal exclaimed happily. She wriggled just enough to give Clint the message that she wanted down, so he set her on her feet. The moment they touched the stone, she was off, and the archer was about to warn her not to greet Phil as she usually did by slamming into him when the little girl slowed down and wrapped her arms carefully around Phil's legs.

"I didn't expect you to be up so soon," Clint commented.

Phil put his arm around Crystal, hugging her gently. "I thought I would still be sleeping as well, but I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, so I thought I'd come down and find everyone else as well as hopefully get a bite to eat."

Both Lucky and Lockjaw greeted Lola effusively, pinning her to the steps and licking her happily. She preened under the attention of the two younger dragons, returning their cuddles and kisses just as happily as they were being given.

"I was going to take Crystal into the library to read to her." He turned toward their daughter. "Sweetheart, why don't you go and get the book for us? I have to speak to your Dad about something."

Crystal looked as if she wanted to argue, but Phil said, "Go on, Crystal. Your Daddy will be in shortly, and I'll join you as soon as I get something to eat."

Clint didn't want to say that it might not happen that way, but he kept quiet. He didn't want to disappoint Crystal by correcting Phil, once he heard what Clint had to say.

"Okay, Dad." She let go, then headed toward the library. Clint had left their book on the table by the chair they'd started using when they were reading, so she would have no problem finding it. With a silent prompting, Lucky followed, as did Lockjaw.

Phil came down the stairs the rest of the way, Clint meeting him at the bottom. Without even thinking about it, he had his arm around his Wizard, tugging Phil against him. "I was worried about you," he whispered.

The smile he got from that confession brought a sweet smile to Phil's face. "I was always going to be fine."

That was probably true, but that didn't stop him from being concerned. "When do you think you'll be able to expel the bad Void?" He was hoping it would be soon. The idea of Phil carrying that around for any longer than absolutely necessary, made Clint's heart ache.

"I've done it already."

That was a surprise, but then Clint figured that Phil had done it immediately after waking up. He would have wanted to get rid of is as much, if not more, than Clint had. "That is excellent." As a reward, he leaned in, brushing his lips across Phil's lightly, lovingly, a part of him afraid that if he did anything too hard his lover would break.

Phil pulled away with what seemed like a great deal of reluctance. "I see our youngest daughter, but where's our oldest?"

Clint explained about Daisy's plans at Castle Ferrous, warmth flowing through his chest at his lover calling Daisy 'ours'. Yes, he'd signed the papers and everything, but it was all still so new to him, being a father when he'd never even considered that for himself. "And she's passed along the letters, so we should most likely be expecting answers shortly."

"Good. I want to get them protected as soon as possible."

"There's something else you need to know."

Phil listened as Clint explained about the request for a meeting from Prince Thor. "It has to be about Loki," he observed.

The Wizard nodded. "Somehow, the Prince knows who I am." Phil sighed. "I guess this shouldn't surprise me, that it would get out and beyond the Guild. And all he would have needed were certain pieces in order to put the truth together."

"Are you going to meet with him?" Clint wanted to know.

"I think I should. From what I'd heard about events after my near-death, Prince Thor was the one who'd taken Loki back into custody for the trip back to Asgard. And he's supposed to be a good man. I don't believe I have anything to worry about from him."

Clint certainly hoped that was true. "You're not going alone."

Phil smiled. "I didn't even consider it."

"Good." There was no way in any of the hells was he going to let Phil speak to this Prince of Asgard without him. He might have been one of the most powerful Wizards in the world, but he would need someone to watch his back. Clint had already vowed to be the one to do that.

"I'll contact Master Richard in New Andrade later. For now, I'm starving and really want to eat something, and I can hear Lola's stomach growling."

The dragon started chattering in denial, making Clint laugh. He hadn't needed to hear Lola's belly to know that the dragon was most likely as hungry as her Wizard. "Andrew made a pot of oatmeal, and he was saving some for you in case you managed to drag your magnificent ass out of bed sometime today."

Phil smirked. "It's nice to know you appreciate my ass like that."

Clint reached around and grabbed that magnificent ass. It really was quite spectacular. "I'll be sure to show you later just how much I appreciate it." He grinned lasciviously. There would never be a time when he wasn't attracted to Phil, and he was eager to prove it.

"Then I should gather my strength for later," Phil laughed, "and that means breakfast. I'll eat then join you and Crystal in the library. Afterward, I'll contact this Master Richard and set up a time to meet with the Prince."

Clint wasn't so sure how he felt about that, but he would go along with whatever Phil wanted to do. And, maybe Prince Thor didn't mean any harm. However, the notion that this guy knew Phil's secret, the archer didn't like that at all. It was bad enough that there were others who knew, but the more that did, the chances were greater that it would slip out and become common knowledge. The last thing Clint wanted was for Phil to be arrested or something for his past mistakes. Even though Phil would be the first to admit that he'd understand why it happened. At times there was a huge difference in mundane and Wizard law, after all.

There was one more thing he wanted to talk to Phil about, but he hesitated, because he wasn't sure exactly what sort of response he would get.

It was about this bond thing that Stephen had talked about.

Clint couldn't help but be amazed by it but, at the same time, would Phil feel the same way? Would he want that sort of thing between them? All Clint could think of was when he eventually died, what would having a soul bond do to Phil? He'd known that his death would destroy Phil, but this…this would be so much worse. How would Phil react to the knowledge that something like that had sprung up, connecting them in ways that everyone else weren't? They weren't like Jack and Ianto, who would have their own version of eternity. He and Phil would have about another two thousand years, unless Clint got himself killed in a fight or some silly accident…which, knowing him, it would be a really stupid death before his time.

Could he really do that to the man he loved?

Phil must have noticed something off. "What's wrong?"

Clint plastered a smile on his face, hoping his lover wouldn't push. "Nothing, really."

He got a disbelieving side-eye at that response.

"Look, we'll talk about it…but not right now, alright? Let me be a coward and keep it to myself for now."

"You are not a coward." Phil leaned in and kissed him again. "Just let me know when you feel comfortable discussing what's bothering you."

He didn't seem upset, which was a good thing. "I will. I just…need a little time to process something and, when I'm ready…"

"You know I'll wait for as long as it takes."

Clint just wasn't sure how long that would be, himself.


	34. Chapter 34

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"If you would just be patient," Catherine Hale soothed, "there's a plan in place that will bring the Dark One to us, with very little fuss."

Loki did not wish to be patient. Loki wished to _play_.

He never could recall being quite this vindictive as a child, although he'd always been quite the trickster; however, that had been before he had known the truth of his parentage. Also before he'd been declared officially mad by the man who'd hidden that truth from him.

He crossed his arms over his chest, staring down the woman, feeling his magic rise in response to his irritation. "I believe I have been patient," he said slowly, as if speaking to an imbecile…which he considered her one and felt no need to disguise that fact, although he had learned a long time ago that he would be able to get what he wished with a silver tongue than with a sharp one. It was simply that he'd lost what little patience he usually had. "You have made certain promises to me, Mistress, and none of those promises have been kept. I would be perfectly within my right to feel irritated at this lack of progress in this regard."

Last night he had thought to wait, but with the light of a new day painting the mountains around them, Loki had decided that confrontation was an option he was willing to accept, his patience vanishing with the sun.

Ever had his emotions been quick to change. It was both a fault and a strength, as it made him unpredictable to both loved ones and enemies alike.

The loved ones had become enemies, though, so perhaps it was more of a strength now.

"We can get him to come to us willingly," Mistress Jiaying added, lounging back in her seat as if she had no care in the world.

Perhaps she did not. Loki was of the opinion that she was an odd combination of mother figure and psychopath.

They were in Jiaying's small abode in the village. The home had been set above all the others, on a rise that would give her an unimpeded view of the buildings below, as if she was a benevolent Goddess overlooking her domain. The house itself was a humble dwelling, with three rooms and comfortable furniture that reflected the woman's Eastern Empire heritage.

Mistress Jiaying herself would have been a striking woman, if it was not for the scars that crisscrossed her face and body.

Loki had no wish to know what had caused such scarring. He was an extremely curious soul, but even he had a limit on what information he was willing to seek out.

"Or," he reposted, "I can go to him, challenge him, and then crush him."

Hale rolled her eyes. "The Dark One is the most powerful Void in the world. I very much doubt you'd do much crushing if you faced him in a head to head duel."

Every single word they spoke of the Dark One, the more Loki became intrigued.

He knew for a fact that he had killed the man. One does not simply survive the wound that Loki had dealt. And yet, Hale had insisted that he had, that he was, in truth, a form of Deathless. That notion was one that Loki wanted to test, and they were standing in the way of that.

And now, the Dark One was being touted as the most powerful Void ever to have presented with the magic. He found himself wishing to test that notion, as he found it incomprehensible that someone like that would have been granted such power.

Loki would not, however, mention that his magic had been…reluctant, at times, to come to him ever since their battle. It was another reason to destroy the man he'd long thought killed.

Even back then, the Dark One had been strong. Loki would never have been able to win against him if the duel had been fair. However, he did not fight fair. There was no need to. Loki had won by stealth and illusion, but he had won. It was just that his conquered foe had not stayed dead, if what the Hale woman claimed was true.

"The Dark One has a daughter," Hale added. "If we threaten her, we can get him to do anything for us."

Loki raised a single eyebrow. Now, _that_ was an interesting development.

The Wizard knew that he could have most likely gone and located the Dark One himself, if Hale and Jiaying had not been withholding information. For example, the Dark One's true name, as it was more likely than not that he had not been given that moniker when he'd been a babe in arms. He was aware that they were attempting to keep him under their control, which was something that Loki simply could not abide. No one controlled Loki of Asgard.

"Perhaps there is other information you would wish to share with me about my foe?" he asked waspishly.

Jiaying's dark eyes snapped with power. Loki could sense that odd sort of Deep Ways that she carried about with her coiling within her, as if it was going to attack him. He simply stood there, not afraid of her, a small, sharp smirk now decorating his features.

"She is not his daughter," she snapped angrily. "She is _mine_."

Ah. Now, _that_ certainly explained the woman's involvement in all this.

"She was stolen from me," Jiaying continued. Her long, black hair began to move as if a wind was blowing through the house. "And I want her back."

It was no wind. It was her magic, uncontrolled and volatile. Loki wondered vaguely if she had ever had any formal training. He could not deny that Jiaying was very powerful, one of the more powerful Cardinals he had yet to meet, and yet it seemed as if she had not had any sort of lessons regarding her magic. Loki suspected that it was for the same reason she had created this sanctuary for lost and exploited children…she had once been one of those sorts of children. Mayhap the scarring had had something to do with her apparent abandonment at the hands of the parents who should have loved her.

Judging from the taste of her magic, it seemed like a valid deduction, if she had been repudiated for how twisted it had become.

Loki could instantly see why Hydra had its proverbial talons hooked into Mistress Jiaying. They had tempted her with her daughter, and the woman had instantly fallen into that trap. He very much doubted that Hydra had this child's best interests at heart, only using the knowledge of her to manipulate Jiaying into agreeing to their plans.

"That man has my daughter, and she doesn't even know who her parents really are." Jiaying was beginning to rant, her uncontrolled magic reacting to her heightened emotions.

Loki stood back and watched, entertained and yet not showing it, but also wanting to take the measure of this woman, in case he would need to face her in battle at some point. She had not let her magicks free in his presence before, and he was intrigued.

"Why do you not simply go and fetch her?" He was also not above stirring the stew pot in order to see what floated to the surface. And for his own enjoyment, of course.

"Because she knows she can't challenge the Dark One." Hale looked smug.

Jiaying spun on her angrily. "I don't have to challenge him! All my child needs to know is that I'm looking for her, and she'll come to me of her own free will."

"You are delusional," Hale snorted. "She doesn't even know who you _are_. Do you honestly think she'd give up the home she's had for years simply because someone comes forward and _claims_ to be her birth mother? She could very well hate you for what she sees as being abandoned."

"I did not abandon her!" Jiaying shouted. "She was stolen away from me by her bastard of a father! Until Hydra came to find me, I'd believed that Cal still had her! I searched for her, and was never able to find her, and now you know where she is and won't tell me!"

Magic like a maelstrom was twisting and seething through the living room, sending lamps flying off their tables and even knocking over one of the overstuffed chairs. Loki took a single step back, more to avoid being struck by debris than out of any real fear of the woman losing her grasp of what little control she'd had. Inwardly, he was pleased that she was so easily enraged, as it would make her an easier foe to defeat if and when the time came to do so.

Hale stood at the center of the storm, her hair whipping about her face and tearing at her clothes, and yet she did not move. Loki did not know if that was sheer bravado or that she honestly believed that she could withstand the mad woman's outburst, but he was grudgingly impressed.

"Calm yourself," Hale ordered. "I didn't say that _you_ abandoned her. I _said_ that it might seem that way to her. You can't go rushing in like some sort of mad bull and expect her to react well to it. He's the only family she's known, and you have to take that into consideration once we have her here. You'll need to use your words, Jiaying, and not the blunt force of your magic to get what you want."

Hale had some very valid points. Jiaying must have believed so, as well, as she gradually began to assert some sort of half-control over her rampaging magic.

In that moment, Loki truly understood Hale's plan.

She was going to use the Dark One's own daughter to get him to come to them, which made some sort of sense if he did truly care for her. She was also using that daughter to control Jiaying, to get the woman to do whatever Hale wanted, and it was working.

He was unsure whether he approved of that or not, to be honest.

He, too, had been stolen from his own family. He knew what that felt like. And this daughter of Jiaying only knew the Dark One as her father, it sounded like. How would she respond to knowing where she'd truly come from? Would she react in anger, or would it be as Jiaying so foolishly believed, that the girl would run into her mother's arms without reservation?

He supposed it would depend on what sort of parent the Dark One had been to the child.

Odin had not been the best of fathers, favoring Thor over Loki himself. There was no love lost between them. From what Hale had intimated, that had not been the case with Jiaying's stolen daughter. She had grown up with someone she considered her father, and breaking that bond could be beyond Jiaying's power. Loki had to agree with Hale that Jiaying was delusional in thinking she could simply snap her fingers and her long-lost daughter come running into her arms.

The magic was calming. Jiaying was struggling though to rein it back in, and it was taking longer than it should. Loki observed her fighting to bring the magic back within herself, when it would have been easier for her to simply cut the power off at its source and letting what she had already expended fade away. It had been a lesson that Frigga had taught to him, when his own temper would get the better of him.

Frigga might not have been his mother, but at least she had cared.

He couldn't see Jiaying caring much beyond claiming the child that she had once borne. Loki doubted there was a single maternal bone in her body.

Then he had to pull that assumption back. He had seen what she'd done with the children in the valley. She had gone out and found them all, when their own parents had either been lost or abandoned them simply because they would grow up to be Wizards. He had wondered what her motivation was in doing such a thing, and he had just discovered what that was. She was compensating for the loss of her own child.

And yet, as caring as she seemed, it was obvious that Jiaying did not exactly know what to do as a mother. It was apparent that she cared about her charges, and yet she was not overly motherly in many regards. She had no experience at it, in Loki's opinion, and she had not bothered to learn much beyond giving children shelter and to make certain they had roofs over their heads and a decent education. He had yet to see her hug any of the children under her care, or show them any sort of affection.

At least Frigga had done that with him.

Jiaying was, to his mind, much like the leader of a cult, indoctrinating her followers to her way of thinking. How would these children react once they were out in the world beyond this place?

Well, Loki supposed, it was truly none of his concern. He was there for one reason only: to find the Dark One and see if he truly was as Deathless as Hale had claimed.

"And how do you intend on getting this daughter of the Dark One here?" he inquired once Jiaying had settled down enough that her magic was not threatening violence.

Hale smiled. "Don't worry, I have that well in hand."

Jiaying shot her such a look of anger and hatred that had Loki stepping back for the first time since this confrontation began. He was willing to wager that Hale had done something that Jiaying had not approved of, which meant…

Oh, of course.

It meant that Hale had fallen to using one of the children from the valley in her schemes.

How interesting.

Loki decided that he would stand back and watch the results.

And, if it netted him the Dark One, then he would call the plan a success.

Still, there was a niggling doubt at the back of his mind, that was telling him that using someone the Dark One apparently cared for was a very bad idea indeed.


	35. Chapter 35

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy Teleported to Castle Ferrous, still worried about her Dad but not as much as she would have been if she hadn't known that Clint was there to take care of him. She trusted him, because he loved Dad and wouldn't leave the Keep as long as Dad was sleeping.

Still, she _was_ worried. She wouldn't lie to herself about that. It was the second day in a row that Dad had exhausted himself, and this was worse because of that bad Void he'd pulled out of James and into himself for what he had to consider safe keeping. Not so safe when it affected him the way it had. The sooner he got that shit out of him, the better.

To her surprise, Pepper's casting chamber was empty. Usually when she had lessons at Castle Ferrous, Pepper would have been waiting for her, and Happy would have greeted her so effusively there were times when the ridiculous little dragon would knock Skye off Daisy's shoulders. Skye didn't seem to mind, really, and would just huff and go to settle somewhere else until Happy was done.

She might not have had the same sheer draconic charisma the Elves had, but she still got her share of love from Pepper's dragon.

Taking the stairs up into the castle, Daisy, with Skye on her shoulders as usual, went searching for her teaching Master. It was a little worrying that Pepper hadn't been waiting for her, when they'd set this particular time for Daisy to arrive, so something must have been up to delay her.

She really hoped it wasn't anything to do with Loki. Daisy knew that the Council of Barons had met about that very thing. Could something had happened just since she'd left home? It was quite possible, she supposed.

Upstairs was vacant as well, not even Jarvis or Ana seemed to be about. "Hello?" Daisy called out, growing even more confused and concerned. It didn't seem anyone was in the castle, and that was just bizarre.

She began walking toward Baron Tony's workshop. It was the one place that she felt certain someone would be; if not the Baron himself, unless he was away on either Baronial or Council business, then Dr. Banner would most likely still be around, working on one of the many experiments that he'd taken up when Baron Tony had offered him a place at the Castle. Daisy quite liked the magical theorist, he was a nice guy who'd been dealt a bad hand in life. But, she knew Stephen was working to make things right, to bring Master Thaddeus Ross to justice for what he'd done to Dr. Banner over the love he'd felt for Ross' daughter, Betty; and to bring to light the abominable experiments that Ross had had the theorist doing until Dr. Banner had figured things out and left.

She also knew that Ianto had managed to break a couple of pretty serious curses that Ross had cast on the older man, but still had some work to do on the others. Doctor Banner had told Ianto that James had come first, that he could wait as long as Ross couldn't still remotely trigger the curses anymore. Now that James was on the mend, Ianto could get back to the doctor.

To her even greater surprise, the workshop was also empty.

She stood in the doorway, hands on her hips as she looked around to see if anything was missing. Maybe Baron Tony and Dr. Banner were out with one of their inventions, running tests? But that didn't explain why Pepper, Jarvis, and Ana weren't around.

Unless they were all watching.

Which usually meant the Baron was going to be doing something that Pepper didn't approve of.

It was sad that Daisy understood exactly what that meant, that she'd been a welcome addition to the household for long enough to realize that the Baron was most likely in trouble.

That still didn't tell her what was going on…

Then her eyes fell on the corner of the workshop where that weird suit of armor Baron Tony had been working on.

It was gone.

Daisy spun on her heel, heading toward the back gardens. While she didn't have any idea what that armor could do, she knew that a lot of the Baron's inventions could be destructive until he managed to fine-tune whatever apparatus he'd been tinkering with. He would normally take that sort of thing out to the rear of the estate, in order to have plenty of room to run his tests with the chance of the least amount of mess.

As she approached the rear doors that led outside to the gardens, a strange whirling noise became noticeable. Daisy had no idea what that sound was, but she would have been willing to bet anyone that the Baron was involved with it. She was confused, because she couldn't figure out why the suit of armor that was missing would be making that sort of racket, if that was indeed what was causing it.

A sudden explosion sounded just as she was flinging the door open, making her jump. Daisy didn't hesitate; she was out the door like a shot, one hand extended, calling her magic to her in case there was trouble and she was needed, and it wasn't just Baron Tony wreaking havoc once again.

Not that Pepper couldn't defend herself. She would never assume that. However, a little back-up was never a bad thing.

Still, what she saw had her dropping both her arm and his jaw in surprise.

Out in a bare area of garden, Pepper, along with Jarvis, Ana, Dr. Banner, and Sir Rhodey, were gazing upward, their postures in various stages of irritation, intrigue, and humor. Daisy could understand all three of those responses, because she was feeling them herself.

Hovering in midair, near the smoking remains of one of the apple trees that had graced a corner of the garden, was that suit of armor that Baron Tony had been working on.

It was red and gold, articulated in a way that normal armor wasn't, covering Baron Tony himself from neck to foot. Areas at heel and palm were glowing a faint blue, and from his position Daisy could tell that it was those glowing bits that were letting the Baron hover. And yet, it wasn't any sort of Levitation spell that Daisy had seen, even if the aura around the entire armor was magical.

It was focused on an area of the breast plate, where yet another area was glowing.

Daisy knew that was the exact same spot where the magical stone that had saved Baron Tony's life when he'd been kidnapped had been set.

Gods, was that gemstone powering the armor?

The young woman had no choice but to join the others as they watched the Baron flit about like some sort of metallic dragonfly. "Um," she said, standing next to Sir Rhodey, "what's going on?"

"Tony is being an idiot again," Sir Rhodey answered, as if that explained everything.

It kinda did, actually.

Baron Tony looked as if he was having the time of this life. And, maybe he was. After all, he was a non-magical person performing pretty high-level magicks just by using an Artifact that had been implanted into his chest in order to keep him alive, which…

Yeah, Daisy couldn't explain it.

Using her magical sight, she took a long look at the stone that was powering the armor. She really hadn't done that before, since most of the time the stone was hidden under Baron Tony's clothes and she wasn't about to ask him to take off his tunic so she could get up close to it. All she knew about it was what it did, and she had to wonder if anyone else had examined it. The magical signature she'd always gotten from the Baron had been low-level, so for it to be able to do this…she would have to ask just what sort of Artifact could appear to be that weak and yet be stronger than anything she had yet to see. Not that she'd seen a lot of those sorts of Artifacts. Ianto would know more about it, or her Dad or Stephen.

"Why is that tree smoking?" she had to ask.

"Tony blasted it," Dr. Banner replied. He was holding a full-head helmet in his arms, with the same color scheme as the armor. "The repulsors in the gauntlets aren't just for stabilization."

"Shit."

It was a testament to everyone's lack of attention on her that no one corrected Daisy's use of a curse word. She thought the situation called for it.

"So," she had to say, "how does he get down?"

"I'm pretty certain he'd not thought that far ahead yet," Pepper answered disparagingly.

"I have the healing herbs and bandages ready," Jarvis volunteered, "in case His Grace takes a header and injures himself."

Ana snorted in amusement at her husband's pronouncement.

No one thanked him, but then Daisy thought it wasn't actually needed. Besides, they were too busy being just that much put out by the idea that Baron Tony was wearing a highly experimental magical armor that ran on an Artifact that no one really knew anything about, let alone how much actual power it had. What happened if it discharged all its magic with this test and Baron Tony died because it wasn't keeping his heart beating anymore?

Gods, had he thought this out before doing something so monumentally stupid?

"I doubt it," was Pepper's dry response, and Daisy blushed a little realizing she'd just blurted that out loud.

"The equations are sound," Dr. Banner protested lightly, as Baron Tony sent the armor farther up into the air. As they watched, he aimed one hand, palm outward, toward yet another tree. A bright blue flash of light, almost blinding, had Daisy blinking, then ducking as yet another tree exploded.

"I shall make certain to compensate the gardeners appropriately for the extra work," Jarvis sighed.

Baron Tony wobbled a little, then sent the armor flying even higher, until he was nothing but a red and gold splotch against the cloudless sky.

"Did he at least take a speaking stone with him, Bruce?" Pepper queried as that splotch began darting around in what looked like a really random pattern.

"Um," Dr. Banner mumbled, removing his glasses and wiping them on his tunic.

Pepper sighed. "That's what I thought. Any idea how to get him back down? Or to find him if he happens to fall to ground somewhere not the estate?"

"We…might not have thought of that."

"Lovely." Squinting against the glare of the early morning sun, Pepper pulled her wand from its sheath at her waist, aiming it toward the rapidly moving figure far above them. She muttered what had to have been a basic Tracking spell, and how she managed to hit the Baron with all the aerial acrobatics he was doing Daisy would never know. "At least we'll know where he ends up if not here."

While Daisy was beginning to doubt the Baron's grasp on sanity, she had to admit that the armor itself was pretty awesome. The few times she'd seen it in the workshop, it hadn't even come to her that it would be magically powered. Even at the distance Baron Tony was flying, she could make out the magical aura surrounding him, like a beacon or a manmade star, and it was really impressive.

Though, people shouldn't really be playing around with Artifacts without knowing what they were. As far as Daisy understood, the Artifact melded to Baron Tony's chest was a completely mysterious item, and he'd never really gone into a lot of detail about how it had gotten there, only that there'd been a Wizard with him when he'd regained consciousness, and the gem had already been there. Was there more to the story than that? Had anyone really done any sort of investigation into its origin? Surely Pepper hadn't just let her own husband walk around with it and not looked into it more?

"Is he getting closer now?" Sir Rhodey inquired.

He was correct. The blob that had been the armor _was_ getting closer to them, and at a pretty serious rate of speed. How could anyone navigate that fast without their helmet? Wasn't the wind irritating his face and eyes?

Gods, Daisy had so many questions…

"I don't think he's slowing down," Pepper observed worriedly, her wand up and ready to cast any sort of spell that would keep Baron Tony from splatting into the ground at such velocity.

"Oh dear," both Jarvis and Ana said in unison.

Doctor Banner didn't say anything, and his silence was practically vibrating with anxiety.

Baron Tony was coming closer to absolute disaster. Pepper began to cast, and Daisy stood close by, willing to lend her any sort of magical strength she might need. The young Wizard was ridiculously overpowered, and wouldn't miss it.

Catching the spell that Pepper was currently throwing in her husband's direction, Daisy raised her own hand to help. Her wand skills weren't the best, but she knew what her teaching Master was trying to do, was familiar with the actual spell casting, and knew that her power level would only make the magic stronger.

Together, they managed to slow the Baron down to the point where he wouldn't kill himself when he hit. However, it seemed as if he'd regained some sort of control, and had turned in the air, aiming both feet and hands toward the ground in order to stop his fall.

The man was actually laughing when his boots touched the grass. "That was awesome!" he exclaimed, staggering a little as he cut off the magic to the armor. "We're gonna need to work some more on control and shit, but Bruce…that was _amazing_!"

"Anthony Edward Stark," Pepper growled furiously.

Damn, Daisy had never seen her this pissed off.

At least the Baron saw through his excitement just what he'd done to his own wife, and his face lost all trace of laughter, turning contrite so quickly Daisy felt as if she just sustained emotional whiplash. "Pep –"

"Don't 'Pep' me!" She stormed up to him, her knuckles white with how tightly she was grasping her wand. "What you did was incredibly stupid! What if Daisy and I hadn't been here to catch you? You could have killed yourself!"

Baron Tony swallowed hard. "I needed to do it, Pepper. Fury's right about us needing champions, and I'd been working on the armor for a while now…it just took Bruce coming onto the project for the equations to work." He was a combination of sincerely apologetic and defiant at the same time. "We have to be ready, in case we're ever under attack again." He reached out and took her free hand. "Look, you know I'll always want to protect my people, and joining this Avengers thing Nick's come up with is my chance to do that. This," he stroked a gauntleted finger over the visible gemstone that glowed softly through the hole in the armor made for it, "is giving me the chance to do that. I need to help, Pep. You know me."

Pepper visibly slumped, sighing. "Yes, I do know you, Tony. But you could have gotten some sort of magical help as well, to make sure the stone could handle the stress you're putting on it."

"Okay, yes. You're right. But I had Bruce, and he's as good as any Wizard."

"Don't bring me into this," Dr. Banner murmured. Daisy thought he was being really smart at not wanting to get into the middle of the argument.

"But he's not Ianto." Pepper pinched the bridge of her nose, breathing in slowly. "You can work on the armor, but I want Ianto to come and scan that…thing in your chest. I should have had him do it years ago, but all I cared about at the time was that it was keeping you alive. However, it looks like it's been hiding just how powerful it is, and you need to make sure that using it this way isn't going to either kill or corrupt you."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but Dr. Banner cut in. "She's making sense, Tony. Grand Master Ianto can double-check my math on the power output, at least."

It looked like Dr. Banner had even more good sense, but Daisy had to wonder just how that common sense had buckled under the Baron's arguments. They'd certainly had good intentions, but that wouldn't have meant a damned thing if Baron Tony had managed to get himself killed.

"Tony," Sir Rhodey said, "I really do understand the need to help people. But, Pepper's right about this. We don't really know anything about that Artifact, and I should have insisted ages ago that you at least investigate it further, but I felt the same way Pepper did. We just don't want to lose you."

Jarvis and Ana didn't add anything, but Daisy could tell they were just as affected as the others were. As she was, really. The young woman genuinely liked the Baron, and didn't want him to get himself killed by accident.

"Ianto can check for any sort of curses," Daisy had to put her own two golds' in. "He also has that Catalyst thing going on. If anyone can figure it out, it's him."

Baron Tony pouted. "Alright, but I don't like that you're all ganging up on me and stepping on my hour of triumphant invention."

"Hey." Pepper rested a hand on his armored shoulder. "If everything's fine, then you have a new way to defend our people, and that's a good thing. But it's not worth your life, Tony. I love you too much to lose you just because you assumed something about a magical Artifact that you shouldn't have."

"I love you too, Pep." He gave her a wistful smile. "But it's going to be just fine, I know it."

"That may be true, but let's just make certain first."

"Brucie." He turned to the magical theorist. "Help me get this off. I want to check the relays on the boot thrusters. They were a bit wobbly on reentry, and that meant I needed saving."

Doctor Banner rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Fine. I do want to go over the power consumption equations before we get a Grand Master in the workshop."

"Excellent." He began clanking his way toward the castle. "You can go back to your lesson plans for Mini-Pepper, Pep. I promise I won't fly again for a while."

"I suppose that's the best I can hope for," Pepper sighed.

Sir Rhodey gave her an encouraging smile. "You know Tony always keeps his word."

"Oh, I know. But that doesn't mean he may find a loophole to exploit."

"Ana and I will get back to our duties," Jarvis said. "And, may I say, I hope that I need never see that sort of thing again. It was truly…" It was as if he couldn't come up with the right word for it.

"Yes, it was," Ana agreed.

"I'll keep an eye on the trouble twins," Sir Rhodey volunteered. "I'll keep them on track until Master Ianto can get here. I'm sure there are other projects they could be working on."

"Thanks Rhodey." Pepper nodded as the Knights' Commander followed Jarvis and Ana back into the castle. "Well," she turned to Daisy, "thank you for the assist."

Daisy shrugged. "I didn't really do all that much." She'd just backed her teaching Master up, but Pepper had done all the work.

"You did plenty. Now, let's get to the lesson. I want to concentrate on your wand work today. Your spell would have been more focused if you'd used your wand."

She was right about that, Daisy could admit. "I also wanted to talk to you about something Jemma and Leo said to me about accidentally overpowering my potions…" She'd been thinking about it ever since her friends had mentioned it, and she thought they could very well have a point. Daisy understood just how strong her magic was; it was the main reason Dad had made her the gauntlets she wore.

Pepper gave her a nod. "We'll discuss that, but that makes sense."

Happy, now that all the terror was over, gave an excited chirp and jumped from Pepper's shoulders to Daisy's, knocking Skye out of the way. Skye, used to that sort of thing, heaved a sigh and flew to Pepper, who laughed and tucked the other dragon around her own shoulders.

"And how is your father this morning?" she asked as they reentered the castle. "I understand yesterday was de-cursing day…"

Daisy shared with her about what had happened. She wanted to talk about what had occurred, and about what Stephen had claimed about this soul bond stuff, to see what Pepper might know about that sort of thing. She valued her teaching Master's opinion…not that she didn't believe Stephen, but she needed to figure things out, and speaking with Pepper about it would put her mind at ease a bit. It was a fantastic notion, one that she was willing to go along with, but it never hurt to see what someone else might know on the subject.

The young woman hoped it might clarify a few things.


	36. Chapter 36

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve didn't sleep well.

He should have, relief that Bucky was going to be alright eventually being enough to relax him. However, the nightmares he'd had really hadn't been about his best friend.

It had been about the Void.

Well, not specifically about the Void, per se, although that figured quite prominently; he might not have been able to recall his time within the Void itself, but his imagination certainly didn't seem to care. He'd been trapped in the dark, and the silence, and it had been horrifying because he'd been unable to do anything to get himself free. Even his cries had been silent.

That had morphed into images of what he'd been able to see during the breaking of the curses on Bucky. In the dream, he'd been able to _see_ the Void that Phil had pulled from his best friend, and it had been evil, black as pitch and fighting against the Grand Master's call. Phil had been able to tame it, and he'd taken it all in as he had yesterday, but the evil had cursed him in turn, and the good man had become terrifyingly evil. He'd been awakened violently when Phil had killed everyone in the room, including his own daughter and lover, and Steve has awakened with a sharp cry, his heart hammering fit to burst in his chest and unable to breathe.

He found himself wandering Castle Triskelia far too early for anyone but the guards on rotation to be awake. Steve moved about the place, nodding to the soldiers on duty, pleased that every single one of them seemed to be alert to their surroundings. It spoke well of the Captain of the Guard, Rosalind Price, that she kept her people sharp.

He found himself worrying about Phil. Steve knew he was powerful, because he was Grand Master, and he'd seen the evidence of that yesterday. But he couldn't help but be concerned that what he'd done would come back upon him in some way, and the last thing he wanted was for someone to get hurt because of Hydra.

Still, this was the man who'd been instrumental in bringing Hydra down. They'd attempted to use the man's own daughter against him, and that had only made Phil Coulson more determined to bring the cabal down. Steve had to respect that strength of character.

He also had to respect that Phil knew what he was doing. But that didn't stop him from worrying; he owed the Wizard a debt, both for bringing Steve out of the Void, and for willing to put himself on the line in order to help Bucky, someone he didn't know personally, just because it was the right thing to do.

His wandering had taken him into the kitchens, where Steward Sharon was already at work preparing for the day. She gave him a quick smile, then motioned to the coffee that was already warming over the stove's flame.

That was just what Steve needed. He helped himself, leaning against the counter as he watched the castle workers bustling about, chopping vegetables and getting breakfast ready for the residents of Castle Triskelia. Steward Sharon kept an efficient staff; they all seemed to know exactly what they needed to do with very little interference from either the Head Cook or the Steward.

"Care for a pastry?" Steward Sharon offered him a plate, on which sat several different types of freshly baked goods.

Steve's stomach rumbled, and he laughed. "Thanks." He chose one with what looked like cherry jam in a divot in the center, biting into the flaky crust. The cherries were tart against the sweetness of the dough. "That is fantastic," he moaned.

Stewart Sharon laughed. "Baron Nick managed to entice one of the best pastry chefs in the Western Lands to work for him. It's amazing that we all haven't gained weight with all the baking that gets done around here now."

Steve finished that one, and helped himself to a second, this one with creamed cheese. "I understand that things weren't always so good around here." There had been stories, and he knew the history of the Barony, but it never hurt to indulge his curiosity, and it took his mind off his nightmares.

"My father was Steward under the former Baron," she answered. "This place was…well, the Baron had pretty much bled Triskelia dry to line his own pockets, and it was pretty dire. But, then Baron Nick showed up, and kicked the bastard out. He managed to turn things around in a really short time, and now Barony Triskelia is respected throughout the entire Western Lands, as well as being one of the wealthiest of the Baronies."

"Baron Nick seems like a good man."

Steward Sharon laughed. "Oh, he can be a real asshole, but at least he cares about the people. And he certainly knows how to twist things to his and the Barony's advantage. But there are times when you really need that sort of ruthlessness if you're going to make something a success, and he's never been cruel. Well," she shrugged, "unless whoever he was cruel to did deserve it. The Baron _is_ responsible for punishing crimes, after all, and Baron Nick can be…creative, when the need arises."

That was understandable. "And, what about Grand Master Phil? I understand that he and Baron Nick are good friends."

Steward Sharon turned a little pensive. "They are. We're not sure when they met, but Baron Nick gifted him Shield Keep when he turned up with his daughter. I know there were a lot of the court back then who thought that the Grand Master was going to become Baron Nick's Court Wizard, but he didn't. In fact, he was practically a hermit out at the Keep until he became Grand Master, which, I'll be honest, was a bit of a shock for everyone that he'd consent to take on the job. He's never shown any interest in any sort of position at Court, although the Baron has called on him in magical matters, and he's never once set foot inside the Council of Barons. There wasn't even a permanent Baronial Wizard until a couple of weeks ago, when Mistress Maria gave up her position to join the Court. We were beginning to wonder if there ever would be."

Steve had been there when Mistress Maria had shown up and the Baron had announced her appointment. "That's a bit of a step down, isn't it? From head of Great Order to Court Wizard?"

The Steward shrugged. "It could be seen that way, I suppose. But then," she smirked, "we all know Baron Nick's going to ask her to marry him, so it only makes sense that she moves closer to what's going to be her home. And the Court really did need a full-time Wizard."

He thought of Pepper, who was Head of Cardinal Order, as well as Court Wizard of Barony Ferrous and wife of the sitting Baron. That did seem a lot of duties to take on, and he could understand why Mistress Maria might want to pare them down a little, although Mistress Maria didn't have a Novice like Mistress Pepper did. Not that Steve had seen one.

"Just like we needed a Knights' Commander to replace Sir Felix," she added slyly.

"I don't think I'll ever _replace_ Sir Felix," he demurred, having heard so many stories of the former Knights' Commander that he'd had to go and visit the retired Knight to see if they were true. "I can only do the best job I'm able."

He received a sunny smile at that. "And that response is why you'll do an excellent job." She held the plate out once more, and Steve accepted the offer and took another pastry. He could certainly understand Steward Sharon's comment about gaining weight. He was going to have to spend a little extra time on the practice field if he kept this up.

"Is there a way to contact the Grand Master?" It had been in the back of his mind, that he really wanted to check on Phil, to make certain he was alright after yesterday. The nightmare he'd had reared its ugly head, and Steve had to shove those feelings back down so they weren't evident. Phil was a friend, and Steve didn't want him to suffer for doing the right thing in helping Buck recover from the cursing.

"Ask Baron Nick. I'm sure he has at least a speaking stone." She cocked her head, examining him minutely. "I swear, you look just like the portrait our family has of Sir Steven Rogers, the Paladin. You _have_ to be related in some way; you even have the same name."

Steward Sharon was sharp, but then she was distantly related to Peggy, who had been one of the smartest women Steve had ever known. She'd asked him about it once more, and had been saved from an explanation at that time, but now there was no one to change the subject.

"I may be," he answered, trying to throw her off the track. "Honestly, I didn't even know about the Paladin until someone told me about it." Which was strictly true; it had taken Howard telling him about the position and snatching him out of relative obscurity in order to fill it, after that ridiculous audition and Peggy telling the man what for. So he wasn't really lying to her about that. Besides, the last thing he wanted getting around was who he really was.

"I understand. A lot of families really don't pay much attention to their lineage that far back and, besides, from what I've been told Sir Steven died without issue. Also, as far as we know, he didn't have any siblings."

Steve had to wonder what she'd say when she eventually met Bucky. He knew that Phil had known who Bucky was when Jack recognized him, but would the Carter family know as well? Most likely.

He had to stifle his laughter, because when he eventually had Bucky back in his life it was going to make Steward Sharon question destiny.

"Well," he straightened up from his leaning position against the counter, finishing off his cooling coffee. "I should get to my own duties. I'm pretty sure today is an appointed Court day." He sighed. He really didn't care for Court days, but then he was in good company with Baron Nick on that score.

Steward Sharon grimaced. "Yes, which means I'd better have the alcohol cabinet in the Baron's sitting room fully stocked for afterward. As much as he hates it, though, he's quite good at unraveling complaints and putting things to rights." She was proud of her Baron, it was obvious.

Steve was, as well. He'd fallen into this job, thanks to Phil Coulson, and he didn't think he could ever repay the Wizard for it. He had a purpose now, even though his duties were interspersed with times of sheer boredom.

He wished Steward Sharon a good day, heading back up into the residential areas of the castle. He'd need to wash and get his ceremonial armor on before court.

Then, afterward, he would inquire about Phil and perhaps have a way to check on him. Just to make certain he was doing alright.

After all, that was what friends did.


	37. Chapter 37

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack looked out over the camp, nursing the cup of coffee that he'd been given by Laura Barton, watching as the workers began to prepare for yet another day.

He and his people had been offered a place to stay in the main camp area, in a smallish wagon that belonged to another member of the show who usually stayed in the animal pens when they were settled for any period of time. It hadn't mattered to the team, any of them would have been happy to camp around a fire somewhere, used to sleeping under the stars as they were; well, Jack had been staying home more of late, but that hadn't cancelled out all those accumulated centuries of mercenary work, which had meant long weeks without beds or even a roof over his head. Besides, to be honest, he really didn't need all that much sleep, and had taken a walk around the perimeter of the site, checking the non-existent defenses and wondering just how they were going to protect this place if something _did_ happen.

Perhaps it wouldn't come to that. Maybe the traveling show would escape any sort of retribution. He could hope that they hadn't accidentally opened these people up for either Hydra or Loki to come back against them in some way. If it had just been Hydra, Jack didn't think he'd have been so concerned, but now that the Hales and Loki had most likely teamed up…there could be serious trouble on the way. Which was why Jack was there, instead of back in Gateway with his husband and their family.

He really should have asked Ianto to suggest a Wizard come with them. Jack wouldn't have minded the extra firepower.

Still, he had Toshiko with him, and the only person he knew that was deadlier with a bow was Clint Barton. There was also Natasha, who would defend her best friend to the death, even if he wasn't around to be defended. And, while he wasn't at all certain of all Bobbi and Hunter's capabilities, he'd seen them in action when they'd taken down Hydra in Lasavar and had been impressed enough to offer them a place on his own team back home. It didn't hurt that he genuinely liked them both, and was proud to have them on this new and temporary team of his.

Speaking of Bobbi, there she was, walking toward him, her own cup of coffee in one hand and one of the meat pastries they'd been serving in the kitchen tent in the other. Jack had already polished off three of them, they were that good.

"Hey," she greeted him once she was closer.

Jack returned the greeting. "Did you sleep well?"

"As well as I usually do on the road." She smirked a little. "I hope Hunter and I didn't keep anyone awake."

The immortal laughed teasingly. "Well, I wasn't going to say anything…" He leered at her. He hadn't really heard anything, but then he'd been wandering a fairly long time last night.

Bobbi joined in with the laughter. "You think you're so charming."

"I am! Just ask Ianto."

"He's your husband. I'm pretty sure he's completely biased."

Jack had to agree with that assessment. Just as he was biased himself when it came to Ianto Jones.

"We're the talk of the camp," she went on. "Gossip is running wild about why we're here."

"Some of the rumors are pretty funny," Toshiko joined them. She was already armed, her bow hooked over the quiver at her back and her short sword at her hip. She was ready for anything that may occur, and Jack was proud to call her his Second.

"Oh, do tell," he encouraged her, knowing that his Elven friend liked a good bit of gossip.

"That we're here to buy the traveling show," she chuckled. "That's a good one."

"I like the one about us being from some sort of criminal syndicate and we're here to muscle in on the Bartons," Bobbi added.

"I do like that one," Natasha joined them. She didn't have any sort of breakfast with her, but she'd probably already eaten. "Then there's the story that we're bodyguards for the Bartons to protect them from the aforementioned criminal syndicate."

"Oh, and here's a good one," Hunter came up behind his lover with his own coffee and breakfast, "that we're all a part of some Baronial Council conspiracy to regulate the traveling shows and that Carson's is only the first step in adding more taxes onto their revenue."

Jack snorted at that one. "Do any of us look like government?"

"Well, to be fair," Toshiko grinned, "you and I technically _are_ government, Jack…just not this one."

"You have a point." Jack's team in the United Kingdom had been fully funded by the Crown ever since Wizards started showing up. They'd been the first response when any sort of rumor about magical shenanigans came up, and had also been the first to really start to search for new Wizards for the school.

Of course, the rest of that team was back in the United Kingdom, doing the job they'd been chartered for, while Jack and Toshiko were in the Western Lands, a place they decidedly _weren't_ chartered, currently doing off-the-books works on behalf of the Grand Masters.

Well, for Clint really because, despite the fact that he really hated his brother at the moment, Laura and Barney Barton and their children were family, and if Jack understood anything it was that family was important. Even when you weren't getting along with them at the moment.

Also, it was their fault, in a way. Even if they didn't know if Loki would have found out about Carson's from any sort of inquiry into rumors about Hydra, or if the knowledge had come from Clint himself from when he'd been put under Loki's thrall.

Jack had been in the United Kingdom at the time of Loki's rampage and hadn't paid much attention to what had been going on in the Western Lands beyond what Their Majesties had been discussing at the time, so he'd had to do some catch-up on the mad Asgardian quickly.

From what he'd been told since, Loki was dangerous and needed to be stopped, perhaps more than the Hales did. After all, he'd managed to kill Phil, and even though he'd been fully into his Dark One phase back then, he'd still been incredibly powerful. The very idea that someone could have done that to Phil Coulson had Jack shivering just a little. From what Phil had said, Loki had managed to get the drop on him because of his grasp of illusion magic. Phil had also explained that he'd been an arrogant bastard back then, and hadn't taken that sort of thing into consideration. Now, however, he claimed he was as ready as he could be to face Loki once more.

From where Jack and his people were standing, the immortal could see the Barton's wagon where it had been parked. As he watched, Barney Barton climbed down the stairs, followed by his son, Cooper. Jack had met both Cooper and Lila yesterday, and had liked both kids instantly. Barney had grown on him a little as well, mostly because he just seemed so damned sorry for what he'd done to his younger brother. Jack honestly believed him when he'd said he would do anything to make it up to Clint, and hoped they would eventually get some sort of happy ending, if just for Clint to meet his niece and nephew.

That dark-haired archer, Kate Bishop, approached Barney, and they talked for a few moments before he called back up into the wagon for Lila. The teen appeared and then went with Kate down toward the practice fields, her own bow slung over her shoulder.

"Something tells me a certain natural skill in archery is in the Barton family tree," Natasha observed.

Jack had to agree with her. "I wonder if either Barney or Lila are as good as Clint is."

"No one is as good as Clint Barton, mate," Hunter corrected. "That Elven arsehole is as good as they come."

"Hunter's got a point," Toshiko added. "Clint never misses. I saw Kate shooting as well, and she's almost on par with Clint. She just needs a little seasoning and she'll be just as good. She's even taken Clint's old traveling show moniker: Hawkeye."

There was a knowing expression on Natasha's face. "I know you're not up with Western Lands politics, but there was a scandal in Barony Bronze not that long ago, concerning a minor Lord whose daughter ran away from home. That minor Lord is named Derek Bishop."

Jack's eyes widened. "Are you saying that Kate is that daughter?" That was…honestly, what child didn't dream of running away with a traveling show, at some point in their lives? Hells, Clint had done that very thing. And now, there was yet another Hawkeye, a part of the same traveling show, and joining it in the same manner although for very different reasons.

The Widow nodded. "From what we've heard, Lord Derek is an asshole who's been married three times now. His latest wife could be Kate's older sister. Now, I'm not saying that age is a thing if you truly love someone, but from all the rumors this latest Lady Bishop is a gold digger who has Lord Derek wrapped around her finger so tightly he practically ignored his own daughter for the woman."

"Yeah," Hunter added, "it's no wonder the kid ran away."

"Plus," Bobbi replied, "apparently Lord Derek looked down his nose at Kate's archery prowess, considering that sort of thing not what a privileged young lady should be doing. At least, that's what I've heard."

"I heard that, too," Natasha confirmed.

Toshiko snorted. "I see what you mean by him being an arsehole. Sexist, to boot."

Jack just couldn't understand why some men felt that women weren't capable of doing certain things, or it being unladylike. In his experience, women were some of the most dangerous people he'd known. See Suzie Costello, Toshiko Sato, and Martha Jones as examples. There were more, but he didn't have the time to stand there and list them all.

"Baron Clark has had it up to the eyeballs with Lord Derek's behavior." Natasha was amused by the whole thing. "When he went in front of the Baronial Court to petition for a search, Baron Clark flatly refused, claiming that Kate would be better off anywhere else than at home, and besides she was of age to make her own decisions. He wasn't going to waste Baronial resources looking for someone who had left of her own free will."

"While no one's seen it," Bobbi said, "the servants at their home claimed there was a note from Kate basically telling her father to go to any one of the hells he chose. There are a lot of people who'd love to have seen that."

"More power to her," Jack laughed. He had to respect someone who would say something like that to her own father, especially since it sounded like he deserved it.

As they stood there, a youngster approached Barney at a run. Barney had taken a seat on the steps of the Barton wagon; Cooper had gone off on his own, most likely to perform whatever chores the boy had been assigned. The girl talked to him, her arms waving excitedly, and then took off running once more, back toward the big tent.

Jack wondered just what had caused that haste.

It looked as if he was about to find out.

Barney stood and strode quickly toward their group, his face grave. "Captain Harkness," he greeted as soon as he joined them.

"Mister Barton." Jack still wasn't quite sure what to think of Clint's brother, even though he'd seemed genuinely contrite over what had happened between the brothers all those years ago.

Now that he was close, it was obvious that something had disturbed him. His face was pale, and Jack could see that his hands were shaking slightly. "She's here."

The immortal knew immediately who he meant.

The UnEarthly Child.

It had been decades since he'd last seen her, back when Genosha had reappeared and the mess that had ensued. The Child had shown up and thrown herself into events; that had been when Jack had discovered that she had been created to balance the Deathless' existence.

At the time, she'd called it Lifelessness.

Jack had been horrified.

He still was.

That the universe would do that to anyone else, let alone a child, it was sickening. He just couldn't understand it. Sure, he was aware that there had to be a Balance to things, but to curse a little girl with immortality…it made no sense.

Back then, she'd told him that it didn't matter, that she actually enjoyed her existence as it was now, but that didn't make it right.

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice suddenly hoarse. He had the urge to run in the opposite direction, because Jack really didn't want to hear what she would have to say.

"I am here, Deathless."

The childlike voice startled him. She'd managed to sneak up on them, which was just plain spooky, her tiny smile enigmatic and dark with secrets.

The UnEarthly Child looked like she was about ten years old, with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a white dress that was old-fashioned and mud-stained at the hem, as if she'd walked miles to get to the traveling show. And maybe she had, or maybe she'd used magic to get there, Jack had no idea.

There was something eerie about her, that screamed her true age and her power. No one looking at her could have ever mistaken her for an ordinary child; but then, she did nothing to hide her otherworldliness. Unlike Jack, who kept his Deathlessness under wraps as much as possible…well, he had, until he'd become famous by marrying Ianto Jones, the second Wizard to have been born in almost a thousand years

Jack's heart was hammering, but he hoped he wasn't showing just how bothered by her presence he felt. "I should have expected you to show up at some point." He kept his tone light, not wanting to cause offence mainly because he had no idea how she'd react.

The last time he'd seen her, she'd also been hanging around his former lover, John Hart. He supposed if Hart hadn't offended her, no one else would be able to.

Her smile widened and became a little lighter. "I go where I am needed, Deathless."

"And you're needed here?" Toshiko asked. She sounded a little spooked, and Jack couldn't blame her for feeling that way.

"Is there a place we can speak in privacy?" the UnEarthly Child inquired politely.

"We have a wagon here." He motioned over his shoulder toward the loaner shelter they'd been given.

"I have shit to do." With that, Barney vanished.

Personally, Jack thought he had the right idea in this case.

The wagon they'd stayed in last night was small, but it was also cozy, with a pair of sofas, one on each wall, that could be used as beds. There was also a bedroom, which Jack and Toshiko had silently agreed would go to Bobbi and Hunter, since they were a couple, and it was curtained off from the sitting area by about thirty lines of brightly colored beads that hung across the lintel and mostly obscured the bedroom from view. Natasha hadn't said anything, but had just grabbed a blanket and had curled up in the floor, looking as comfortable as if she'd been in that selfsame bed.

There was a small table at the end of one of the sofas and Jack, who understood best of all what she was there for, pulled it around so she could use it for her cards. The Child smiled up at him, taking the seat, and patted the cushion beside her.

Jack accepted, although it was just a bit reluctantly.

Bobbi and Hunter took the other sofa, watching expectantly, Natasha perching on the arm next to Hunter. Toshiko, who also knew what was going to happen now, positioned herself against the wall, where she would have unrestricted view of the table. She would make note of everything the Child did, possibly better than Jack himself since this wouldn't be affecting her as directly as it would him.

The Child's feet didn't even touch the floor.

Seeing that just added to everything wrong Jack felt about her…and this whole situation.

"Deathless," she spoke, twisting on her seat in order to face him, her cards already mysteriously appearing on the table, startling both Bobbi and Hunter but not, seemingly, Natasha, "I am here to speak to you, but you must know that my primary purpose in this place is to prepare the Archer for his destiny."

"I understand." He couldn't help the tiny, almost superstitious, shiver that crawled down his spine. "I can get Clint here –"

The smile she gave him this time was bright with laughter. "Soon, Deathless. For now, the cards do have something to impart, as you and the Cardinal Champion are bound together with the Void Champion and his Archer."

Jack had figured that, since he and Ianto were the only other immortals out there besides Phil, who would need their help when it came time for him to mourn his loved ones…just as he knew that Phil would be there for them. "What do you have to tell me?"

With a nod, she turned back to her cards. Jack watched as she closed her eyes for a heartbeat, then flipped the first card over.

It was one very familiar to him – it was the Knight, the one who somehow resembled him, down to the armor and the blue-grey cloak. It didn't need any sort of explanation.

The next card was one he'd also seen before.

The Wizard on it could have been Ianto's double, down to the red and gold dragon seated at his feet, his eyes aglow with the Deep Ways.

"So far," he couldn't help himself, "all you're giving me are also-rans."

The UnEarthly Child cackled. It sounded so vastly amused Jack couldn't help but grin in return. "Then, perhaps the next one will not be, as you say, a rerun."

And it wasn't, but it was also recognizable to Jack.

It was Phil Coulson on that card, the ink ancient and worn, painted long before the other man had been born. In the artwork, he was dressed all in black, with Lola by his side, one hand outstretched and a black flame twisting about his fingers and his usually blue eyes solid Void.

The next card was Clint, in purple, holding a drawn bow with arrow on the string, Lucky rearing up on his rear legs and…wait, was Lucky missing an eye?

Jack glanced at her at once. "What is this?" he couldn't help but ask, although he knew very well that she would never answer in anything less than a riddle, and that was if she deigned to answer at all.

"I cannot say," her answer was plain and unambiguous.

Then she went back to the cards.

The UnEarthly Child laid down more, many of them Jack didn't know. And, when she was done, and explained in her roundabout way, he sincerely wished she'd never showed up at all.


	38. Chapter 38

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Thor paced the small sitting room, feeling just a small bit nervous about meeting such a powerful Wizard like Grand Master Phil Coulson and yet excited as well.

He was not magical. Indeed, he wielded Mjolnir, a magical Artifact, but he, himself, had not a single whit of magic within him. He had inherited his father's nature, rather than his mother's, and there had always been a part of him that was glad of it. There had also been another part of him, growing up, that had wished he had been able to have a dragon like Mother's Fulla, to be able to learn at her knee as Loki had, joining his brother in his lessons.

Instead, he had been raised by his Father, as a warrior, and had been granted Mjolnir when he had proved himself worthy. Now, _that_ had been an adventure, one that he hoped never to repeat, although it had led him to meeting Lady Jane, whom he intended to, one day, ask for her hand in marriage.

Perhaps, after his mission was done, he would go and visit Jane once more. It had been two months since he had last seen her, and that was far too long.

When Master Richard had told him that he had been contacted by the Grand Master, Thor had been gratified that so busy a Wizard had deigned to speak with him. If he was as intelligent as Thor had been led to believe, then Grand Master Phil would have guessed the reason for his request. And, if Thor's suppositions were correct, then he was about to meet the man who had survived being murdered by Loki.

He had so many questions, he hoped to get some answers.

He knew his Mother had already contacted their friend within the Guild, and that Master Erik would have warned the Grand Master and the rest of the Wizards as to the danger. Loki had been at large for too long, and it was worrying that he had not made his move as yet. Thor had to consider that it was because of his brother's damaged magic, that he would be cautious in his plans until he could be certain of their outcome. Yes, from what he had understood, Loki had recovered well from his battle with the Wizard that had hurt him; however, his magic had never truly returned to full strength. He did have other wiles, and would have thought to use those in his quest… whatever that quest was.

Even though Mother had already done her part, and the Grand Master had been warned of Loki's return, Thor felt the need to take the man's measure, to offer himself as an ally to the Wizard, and his Guild, to give aid in whatever way he was able. Waiting had never been Thor's strong suit, and having a part in whatever plans were being made was his wish.

He was interrupted from his pacing by the door opening near-silently.

Thor turned in order to greet the visitor. The man who entered was a surprise.

He was shorter than Thor himself. If the prince had passed the man in the street, he would not have given him any attention whatsoever. He was nondescript on first glance, with brown thinning hair and kind blue eyes. His face was certainly handsome, and yet there was something almost forgettable about his countenance, not at all resembling a powerful Wizard; he was more of the fatherly type, one who would have many children and a life boring of all excitement.

He wondered if this was magic, or something that had been carefully cultivated over the years.

His apparel was equally plain, and not the robes Thor had believed a powerful Wizard would have been wearing. A pale blue shirt with a high collar and cuffs tightly buttoned against his wrists, with dark blue trousers and a waistcoat, also dark blue, and all of it plain to the eye. The traditional wand and dagger hung from his belt, along with pouches that would have contained spell components. There was also a longer knife tucked into his right boot, the hilt showing use and care in equal measure.

His dragon was certainly striking, however. It was a deep red, with traces of black along the edges of its scales. Blue eyes were whirling inquisitively as the pair stepped into the room, but the dragon stayed beside its Wizard companion, head held high, sitting down on his haunches as the Wizard closed the door behind them.

This was all on first glance, of course.

Upon deeper examination, Thor could see the telltale signs of this man's power. Silver runes decorated the collar and cuffs of his shirt, and the prince knew they would have been some sort of spell work embroidered into the very fabric of his clothing. A plain silver band was seated on his left ring finger, and while it resembled a more traditional wedding ring, Thor could assume it, too, was magical in nature.

The very lack of visible Artifacts upon the man's person spoke of someone confident in their magic, that they had no need for any sort of reserves that Artifacts would offer.

And then, there were his eyes.

Once Thor saw past their kindness, there were the signs of Void within their vibrant blue, miniscule flakes of black that would have been difficult to discern by most people. Thor, though, was not most people, and had been hunting and tracking since he had been a child at his father's knee.

That experience was informing him that this man was, indeed, very powerful despite his ordinary exterior. Which made him one of the most dangerous men of Thor's considerable acquaintance.

Yes, this could most certainly be the one who had thwarted Loki's attempt to kill in what should have been honorable combat. Thor could understand how he might have survived, if he was indeed as strong as his impression of the man was saying.

He was also beginning to wonder if there _was_ something in this Dark One story he'd only gotten so little information on.

"Your Highness," the man's voice was as kind as his eyes. "I am Phil Coulson, Grand Master of Voids, and this is my dragon, Lola."

His bow was deeply respectful, and Thor returned it easily. "Grand Master, I am Thor of Asgard. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting."

The Grand Master smiled almost blandly. "I do admit to being curious as to why you wanted to speak with me, although I assume it's about Loki."

"Aye." Thor motioned to the pair of chairs placed before the fireplace. "May I offer refreshment?" Although he was a guest at the Baronial Residence, he had been taught the rules of hosting by his mother, and had asked for several sorts of wines as well as foods be available for him and the man he would be meeting, as it was by Thor's own request.

"Thank you," the Grand Master accepted politely, taking one of the offered chairs, his dragon at his feet. "If there is a Southern Confederacies label on offer, that would be fine."

There was, a wine that was a deep red, almost black, within the glass that Thor poured for him. "I also have cakes if you would be interested."

"I've already eaten," the Wizard accepted the glass, "perhaps later."

Thor took the last seat, his own glass in hand. He much preferred the strong Asgardian meads he was used to, but there had not been any of those at hand and it would have been considered rude if he did not drink as well.

"I would indeed wish to speak to you regarding my brother," Thor began. "I would assume to say that you are the Wizard that he was believed to have defeated eleven years ago."

Those kind eyes flashed, and there…there was the Wizard who had arisen so high within his Order and this Guild. There was sharpness and intelligence in his gaze as he regarded Thor, and the Void within those eyes grew slightly, as if he was also taking Thor's measure, both physically and magically.

But there was wariness there, as well, as if the man was expecting some sort of trouble and would be prepared for such. "You would assume correctly," he admitted, "although not many outside the Guild and my family know that fact. I'm curious to know how _you_ know."

This was a Wizard who had no need to brag of his deeds, and that also spoke of great power and a feeling of responsibility to the magic he commanded. "Truthfully, I have guessed by using the small knowledge I have at my fingertips." He felt the need to be honest with this man, who Thor would have as an ally. "My Mother told me that the Wizard whom Loki had fought had survived and had risen to a high position within the Guild and, from observation, I discerned the rest."

"And Queen Frigga heard that from Master Erick Selvig." His expression became implacable. "There are rules against speaking outside of Quorum like that. What we discuss is private, for Guild members only, and I'm a bit concerned that one of our number is talking out of turn when he took a vow against doing that very thing. I have to wonder just what else he might have shared."

Thor felt the need to defend Master Erik, although he understood that the Grand Master did have valid concerns and was voicing them. "Master Erik has been a friend to myself and my Mother for many years. Please, do not hold against him this revealing of knowledge. It was done out of intentions that were good, and it has allowed us to warn your Guild that Loki was on the prowl once more."

"The Guild would have been warned when you appeared before the Council of Barons," Grand Master Phil pointed out. "And then my privacy, and the privacy of my family, wouldn't have been invaded, and this could have been handled within the Quorum itself."

He should have realized that this conversation would have turned in this direction. Thor honestly had not considered that this was such an invasion; after all, what Mother had done, by courting Master Erik's friendship, was only to get closer to Jane's chosen family, and not for any nefarious schemes.

When he protested this very thing, Grand Master Phil gave Thor a tiny smile.

"Friendship is a powerful thing," he mused, taking a sip of his wine. "When the friend is that close to you, you're willing to do anything to protect them, and to cultivate the relationship. Believe me, I understand that all too well."

His eyes had turned wistful, as if he was bringing to memory the sort of friendship for which he was speaking. It was good that this man had had these sorts of people in his life.

Thor, though, could understand his concerns about the breach of privacy.

"I would like to apologize, Grand Master," he said solemnly. "We only thought to do what was for the best for everyone concerned. I, myself, not being a Wizard, did not know that such rules existed. However, I have not spoken of this to anyone, nor of my suppositions, although I do suspect that Master Richard may have parsed my reasoning for meeting with you."

"Yes, he would have. But Grand Master Stephen says he can be trusted, and he already knows the full story of my dealings with Loki."

There was another flash, this one of anger, and while it did not last long, it came to the prince that he had no wish for this Wizard to become angered at him. "And he has told me nothing." He did not wish to add that it had been Master Richard's comments about warning Grand Master Phil about Loki that had put Thor on the track. "I do wish to know how you managed to survive Loki's attack upon you."

The Grand Master snorted. "Who said I did?"

Thor frowned. He did not think the Wizard was jesting with him about not surviving the attack; even the Barons had claimed that the Dark One, if this was indeed that man, had been declared dead. And yet, there he was, sipping his wine and gazing at Thor as if he could determine what was in the prince's very mind. "And yet, here you sit. And you do not resemble any sort of lich I have encountered."

Grand Master Phil's right eyebrow rose in surprise. "And you've actually seen a lich before?"

"I have. There was one abiding amongst the Dark Elves of the North, and was whispering poison into King Malekith's ear. It was a singularly evil creature, and that victory was hard-won. My father was able to destroy it in the end, sending it back to the hell from which it had arisen."

"Huh." The Wizard considered Thor's words. "I'd heard stories of liches, but I thought they were just tales told around campfires." His eyes turned reflective. "That is fascinating." He was silent for a moment, and then he shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts. "Your Highness, I hope I can trust your circumspection in this. The last thing I want is for it to get out that I once faced Loki and _nominally_ won. It's bad enough that Loki is bound to know, and my family and friends are most likely going to be targeted because of that."

"You have my word I shall inform no one of my assumptions." He had to wonder why no one would want to brag of their triumph, but perhaps the Grand Master was a humble man who only wished to be known for other acts? Or he simply found no need to do so? Or, if he had once truly been an evil Wizard, perhaps he wished to leave that in the past, and not be known for the terrible acts he'd once perpetrated? Had his family somehow changed him? It did seem that he was working for the good, now.

Yes, that would make sense, from what little he had been able to parse about the Grand Master as well.

"I do think I should share with you how I believe Loki escaped."

The prince leaned forward. "Mother was unable to determine that, only that Loki had aid in escaping his cell."

The Grand Master nodded. "There was a cabal of evil Voids calling themselves Hydra. One of them, a man named Daniel Whitehall, figured out a way to sneak past the prison wards and get to Loki."

Anger rose within him. "And where is this Daniel Whitehall now? He would need to face Asgardian justice for daring to even infiltrate our prison, let alone releasing Loki." Thor wondered just why this Wizard had wanted to speak to Loki, and why he would risk his very life in order to do so.

"He's in a cell of his own, but he wasn't the one to let Loki free. That was another Void, Catherine Hale, who managed to escape the Guild's justice. We're currently hunting her and her Novice down, but we've run out of leads. It's her that I believe got into the prison and got Loki out."

"I am not certain I understand their reasoning in doing this." Loki was mad, and Thor could see that Hydra and his brother would have much in common. However, Loki was someone who did not work with cohorts; even his pact with the Chitauri had been as nearly one-sided as possible. He had only needed them in order to carve out a territory for himself and would have ended their deal the moment it had been expedient for him to do so.

"Because, Hydra also knows that Loki and I once dueled, and that I supposedly won. While I don't know what exactly Hale might have said to him to get him to go with her, I can guess it was something along the lines that I survived, and that she wanted his help in getting revenge on me for taking down everyone else in their cabal."

Yes, that would make sense, knowing his brother as he did. But, he had the district impression that the Grand Master was not saying everything, that there was yet another motive for Loki going with this Hale woman. He did not know how to broach the subject of the Dark One without causing offence, and the last thing Thor wanted to do was driving some sort of wedge between himself and a potential ally in the hunt for Loki.

He wasn't at all sure bringing up the Dark One would be for the best. If, as he was assuming, Grand Master Phil had left that persona far behind him and had joined the fight for the good, then it was best left in the past.

"That would, indeed, entice Loki to end his imprisonment and join this Hydra. However, as you may not already be aware, my brother is mad, and he has such disdain for anyone who would seek to make him an ally. He would not be long in Hale's company if he could so avoid it."

Grand Master Phil nodded. "Yes, that jibes with what I know about him. A part of me thinks we should just let Loki take Hale and her daughter out of the picture, but we can't afford to wait for that to happen. We need to figure out what their plan is as soon as possible, and counter it immediately. Too many innocent people will get hurt, and that could include my daughters, their friends, and anyone else who has connections to me, including my Novices. I will protect them in every way I can, and that does include killing Loki if need be." He leaned forward, eyes hard with purpose and black with Void. "I know he's your brother, and how you must feel about him, but you have to understand that I will always protect my loved ones to the best of my ability. And I can be particularly ruthless in that regard."

Thor swallowed hard. He would not wish harm upon his only brother, and yet he could certainly understand the Grand Master's threat. He had faced Loki himself, knew how his madness worked, and it could very well lead to what the man was threatening.

This was not the Grand Master of Voids speaking. This was someone darker, someone willing to do what needed doing in the quest of his goal. A being who would not stop until all those he loved were safe, and who would fight to the last breath anyone who would threaten that safety. Merciless and cunning and cruel when need be.

The Dark One.

This being was directly the opposite of the kindly man who had entered the room. This being had been shrouded in the kindness that was his primary personality, who had loved and lost and had been killed by Loki, and yet was not one of those restless dead that Thor was familiar with. Something terrible had been done to this man to make him like this, creating this darkness within him that had been buried deep under the skin of the father and Wizard and Grand Master that he had become.

Thor knew, in that heartbeat, that no one would be able to stand up to that inner darkness once it was unleashed. Only the man who had so successfully contained it, until it would be necessary to bring it to the fore once more.

This, above all, had earned Thor's respect. To have buried such evil and darkness so deeply, and to become the loving father that would go to war against anyone who harmed his family…yes, it was best to leave the darkness in the past, and stay within the light of the present.

"I will abide by whatever decision you choose to make concerning Loki." It was a hard-wrung concession that Thor did not wish to make. "I only ask that you allow me to aid in the search. Loki was Asgard's responsibility, and we have failed in that, so it is my duty to lend support to our allies on this score. If he _does_ harm innocents, then Asgard will allow the Western Lands and the Wizard's Guild to mete out its own punishments."

He felt that he need not add to that this particular Wizard's justice. He did not feel worthy of granting that, nor did he believe it would matter to Grand Master Phil Coulson if he did do.

The Wizard leaned back in his chair, and the darkness within receded once more, the light in his eyes returning and the Void fading away. The change was extraordinary, and Thor wished he could speak to his mother about it, to ask her for her wisdom on how to deal with such an otherworldly being. For now, he would leave those questions silent.

"I'm sorry that we had to meet under these circumstances." And Thor could tell that the Grand Master truly was. "Let me give you this." He leaned over a little, in order to reach into one of his trouser pockets.

He handed Thor a small grey stone, worn smooth by water and time. He knew exactly what it was, and needed no explanation on how to use it.

"I'll contact you if we have any leads," Grand Master Phil promised.

The prince did not ask for any more binding a vow; he knew it was not needed. The Wizard would, indeed, do as he had sworn. "Thank you for this," he said gratefully. "And I shall not betray the trust you have placed with me."

The smile that the Grand Master gave him was gentle. Thor had to marvel at the man's ability to subsume that inner shadow under this friendly exterior, and to wonder which one was the truth.

He was beginning to suspect that it was the outer seeming of goodliness that had been evident from the beginning. The darkness was a guise that this man would have need of, in times when it would come to the fore when necessary, created by something so horrible in his youth that it was a part of his very soul, yet contained and controlled.

"We are allies, Grand Master," he continued. "And, when I am King in Asgard, we shall remain so."

"I do hope it stays like that after everything is said and done." He rose, his dragon beside him. "Now, I should be heading home. My youngest daughter frets when one of her fathers is gone too long."

Thor wished to meet the family of this man, to discover the more peaceful side of the warrior that he could be. "I would look forward to being acquainted your family one day."

Grand Master Phil looked startled. "I'm sure that can be arranged, once things are a little calmer around here." He held out his hand.

The prince accepted the handshake, then converted it into the Asgardian arm clasp that was more traditional with his people. "Farewell, Grand Master Phil Coulson. We shall see each other again. And soon, I am confident in stating."

"Indeed we shall, Prince Thor of Asgard."

With that, Wizard and dragon departed, leaving Thor with more questions and yet also with a certainty that this was, indeed, and ally.

And, perhaps, someday, a friend.


	39. Chapter 39

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Thirty-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto arrived in Pepper's casting chamber, answering her rather panicked call.

When Pepper Potts panicked, he was always going to listen., even if it meant leaving the recovering James Barnes alone for the time it took to see what had his former Novice so worked up.

It had been something about the magical stone that had been implanted in Baron Tony's chest. From what she'd told him, the Baron was using it in a way that was very concerning, and she'd wanted him to come and examine it. Honestly, Ianto had wished she'd called years before, after Tony had escaped his kidnappers and had shown back up at Castle Ferrous, an Artifact the only thing keeping his heart beating. He'd long wanted to see just what that gemstone was, but he hadn't been asked, and if he'd attempted to throw his weight around and use his position to force his way in, he just knew that Tony would have kicked up a fuss with the Council and that would have been the quick way to cause friction between the Council and the Guild.

"Ianto." Pepper looked frazzled, another sign that it was serious. Happy was in his place on her shoulder, and he was doing something Ianto had never seen him do: he had his tail clutched in his front claws and was worrying it. Happy was usually such a…well, a happy little dragon, so to see him like that, mirroring his companion's anxiety, made him want to reach out and cuddle the little thing to him and promise him things were going to be alright.

"What changed?" he inquired softly, not wanting to sound confrontational or anything.

Pepper took in a deep breath. "Tony and Bruce have managed to create a suit of magical armor that uses that gemstone as a power source."

He couldn't stop his jaw from dropping in surprise. "He did what?" he blurted, not quite sure he'd heard correctly.

Tony Stark had always been on the cutting edge of creating items that would mimic their magical counterparts, like the lights he'd invented that ran on a generator instead of being enchanted by a Wizard. So, for him to fall back on using magic for something seemed a bit out of character.

Pepper laughed a little, only it had a worried tinge to it. "He was out in the garden, flying around in that damned suit, setting our apple trees on fire! At least I got him to agree to let you look at the stone before he did anymore aerial acrobatics."

Ianto felt his eyebrows escape toward his hairline. "He did _what_?" he repeated, at a complete loss for words at this point.

"My reaction precisely. At least there were witnesses, or else I would have thought I was losing my mind."

"Does he understand just how dangerous that was?" Ianto had learned from painful experience that messing around with unknown Artifacts wasn't a very good idea _at_ _all_. People had _died_ because they touched the wrong thing at the wrong time. Hells, Ianto had made his own fair share of mistakes, when he'd first started out as Head Archivist back at Torchwood Castle in Barony Cardiff. He not only had the physical scars from those mistakes, but the emotional ones as well.

He followed Pepper up into the main castle, as she said, "He says he had Bruce run the main equations. But, Ianto…Bruce isn't a Wizard. He's very talented, but he's a theorist, and has never worked with real magic in his life."

Ianto was well aware of Dr. Bruce Banner's reputation and had, on occasion, used the scientist's theories in his own spell work. They always held up in practical trials, and the Wizard had been genuinely impressed by the thought that had gone into Dr. Banner's equations and rune making, believing it a shame that he hadn't been born a Wizard. In his opinion, it had been a loss to the Guild that Bruce Banner hadn't ever gained his dragon.

"Still," he tried to look on the bright side, if there was one in this situation, "Tony at least attempted to follow proper procedures in his experimentation." That wasn't always the case, as Pepper had complained often enough.

She was very proud of her husband and his work, but there were times when the Baron's antics wanted to make her pull out her hair in sheer frustration. And, it had been much worse before the kidnapping that had caused him to be bound to a magical Artifact in the first place.

"The _proper_ procedure," she answered waspishly, "would have been _not_ to let him convince me not to call you in in the first place."

She had a point.

Still, Ianto had been around Tony many times over the years, and that gemstone hadn't really pinged his magical senses all that much. He'd assumed it was fairly neutral, and not very powerful, but now they had proof that wasn't exactly the case. If it had enough energy in it to make a man fly and cause the sort of destruction, then Ianto had seriously underestimated its enchantments.

"What makes this worse," she sighed, "is that I saw that armor in his workshop and didn't question it. There was even a hole in the breastplate that corresponded to the place on his chest where the stone is. I saw it, and it concerned me, but I didn't think anything about it after that. I should have said something immediately but, at the time, we were in a bit of a crisis with Pierce and the Barons and I never thought about it again."

She was wringing her hands, and Ianto reassured her that it wasn't her fault. It wasn't; how was she supposed to know what Tony's plans were? That it would actually _work_?

Daisy was waiting for them outside the casting chamber entrance into the main castle area, leaning against the wall with Skye on her shoulders as usual, trying to look nonchalant and failing miserably. "Are you one of the witnesses?" he inquired.

The young Wizard nodded. "It was amazing…" then her eyes darted toward Pepper, "and incredibly dangerous," she added hastily. "I can't believe he did it, Ianto. I mean, I've been with Baron Tony in his workshop and all that, and I never picked up on anything from that stone…"

"None of us did," Pepper admitted. "It's been fairly inert for years. How Tony got the bee in his hat to even try something like this…"

"Did he ever explain to you how the stone came to be bound to him in the first place?" Ianto walked with the two ladies toward the Baron's workshop.

"He says he doesn't know," Pepper replied. "He knows there was some sort of explosion – that we _know_ happened, because Rhodey was there and witnessed the actual kidnapping – and then he remembered waking up in the cave the terrorists were hiding in, the stone melded to his chest and being told it was the only thing keeping him alive."

"By the Wizard, Yinsen."

Ianto knew about Master Yinsen; after all, the Wizard had been one of his own Order, and while he'd never met the man, he'd been informed of his death after the fact. It looked as if they would never know how the Wizard had done what he'd done in order to save Tony's life.

There was still a lot of mystery surrounding Tony Stark's kidnapping and subsequent escape. The only thing they knew for certain was that Obadiah Stane, who'd been Baron Ferrous at the time, had been responsible for arranging it, because he'd been afraid that Tony would want to take over the Barony and would discover Stane's double-dealings. As the son of the former Baron, Tony would have been perfectly within his rights to do so, but it had been Stane tipping his hand that had led to the very thing Stane had wished to stop.

It had also led to Stane's death, but that was the price paid for the sort of treachery Stane had been willingly involved in.

They were also aware of the fact that the kidnappers had betrayed Stane; they'd been supposed to kill Tony outright. However, they'd held him and demanded that he create a weapon that would be immune to all magic, in an effort to destroy the Guild, and that Tony had refused. Instead, he and Yinsen had played along until Tony could escape, taking the stone with him.

"How's James?" Daisy's voice broke into his thoughts.

"I managed to get the rest of the curses removed this morning." Ianto smiled; after yesterday, the other curses had been very simple to unpick. "He was sleeping it off when I got the call. I left a note."

What he _didn't_ add was that the so-called 'note' was a three-page letter explaining where everything was, that James was to help himself to the bath – he even explained the plumbing, since he very much doubted that his house guest even remembered that magic didn't really exist back in his time, and to be safe – and to anything he wanted to eat – once again telling him about the cold box so he wouldn't be startled by the large metal and wood monstrosity in the kitchen – and that Ianto had left coffee in the carafe if James was so inclined. The Wizard had also told him where to find spare clothes – he and Jack were of a size, if not height, and would do until they could get the former Winter Knight some things of his own – and mentioning that his daughter, Eirlys, would be coming to check on him if Ianto's business took him away for a lengthy period of time. Ianto had also rather thoughtfully included a hand-drawn diagram of the house, in case James wanted to find the library, or anything else he might need.

Oh, and an explanation of how the speaking stone Ianto had provided worked, in case James needed anything he might not have been able to find on his own or found himself in some form of distress.

"And how's your Dad?" Ianto asked in return.

"Clint called me just after all the excitement ended to let me know he was awake."

That…was a surprise. Ianto had expected him to be out most of the day, after yesterday's events, and said so.

"That was my response, but Clint also said that Dad hadn't been able to sleep anymore, and had already expelled the bad Void. Oh," she sounded worried, "and we got a call from Stephen, saying that Prince Thor wanted to meet with Dad. We're all certain it's about Loki."

Yes, it would have had to have been about Loki. But, how the Prince of Asgard had known about Phil…

"Yeah," she answered when he said as much, "both Clint and I were wondering if he understood that Dad used to be the Dark One, if he somehow put it all together…or was told."

"I doubt Master Erik broke _that_ much of the vow we all took." At least, he hoped that was the case.

"Pretty sure Stephen was going to talk to him about it."

Stephen would have been just as concerned about that sort of thing, and would have taken care of it himself, as Master Erik Selvig was in his Order. There would need to be some sort of punishment if that were true. Master Erik had assured them that he hadn't broken much of the rules, and the ones he had done had been in order to try and convince the Asgardian Queen that the Wizards of her kingdom would benefit in membership in the Guild, but Ianto wasn't so sure that sort of even minimal transparency was a good thing.

As they had been talking, the three of them and dragons had made their way toward the Baron's workshop. It was in an area of Castle Ferrous that had been abandoned until Tony had taken over the Barony, when he'd remodeled this section of the castle for his own, personal use, in order to avoid any sort of damage to the main living areas from the explosions that sometimes occurred when Tony would be creating things.

Ianto had only been in Tony's workshop once, and it hadn't been for long as he'd been looking for Pepper at the time and had just stuck his head in to inquire as to her whereabouts. The room was large and well-lit by both windows and the lightning powered bulbs that the Baron had invented, casting a bright glow over every inch of the shop. Workbenches and tables were spread around the area, cluttered with all sorts of mechanical paraphernalia, most of it Ianto didn't know the use for and was convinced that Tony had been responsible for inventing just because he needed it all to create other things.

The suit of armor standing up by one of the workbenches immediately caught his attention.

It wasn't a traditional design, more streamlined and articulated than what Ianto was familiar with. It was also a rather gaudy red and gold, not at all like his own Myfanwy's scales; in fact, his dragon sniffed in disdain in both his mind and out loud. There was a hole cut out in the breastplate, from which the Artifact would be visible, and Ianto was very curious indeed how Tony had managed to hook up the stone in such a way as to power the armor.

Tony and Dr. Banner were at the bench next to the armor, the Baron leaning over something with his back to the door that the Wizard couldn't make out, the theorist hovering nearby with a sheaf of papers in his hand, glasses perched on his nose. The remaining curses that had been cast upon the doctor shifted just under the man's skin, visible to Ianto's magical sight now that he was aware they were there, and he made a mental note to make time to get them all broken as soon as he possibly could.

Sir Rhodey, Tony's Knights' Commander, was standing guard not too far away, and Ianto had the distinct impression that his presence was the only thing keeping Tony from putting the armor back on and experimenting some more. The Knight nodded to Ianto in greeting, rolling his eyes in an excellent display of irritation and frustration.

For now, he had to worry about a potentially dangerous Artifact that had been grafted to a person who was bound and determined to use it to power an invention that also had the potential to be dangerous. Thank the Gods it wasn't in the wrong hands. Like those terrorists that had originally found the stone in the first place.

"Tony," Pepper called to get her husband's attention.

The Baron spun around on the stool he'd been seated on, a wry grin sliding over his face but then replaced so quickly by an almost blinding smile of welcome that Ianto almost believed he'd imagined it. The smile reminded him of one of Jack's more effusive expressions, one that his husband used when he wanted to hide how he was really feeling.

"Welcome to my humble abode!" he exclaimed, getting up and spreading his arms wide as if he was about to embrace them all.

"Tony," Ianto returned, giving the man his own version of a welcoming smile, which was much smaller and lighter, but no less sincere for it. "I understand you've created some sort of new wonder."

"I have," the Baron agreed. "Come on, let me explain it to you."

He proceeded to tell Ianto all about the armor, pointing out things as he explained. Truth to tell, the Wizard only understood about one word in four, but he thought he got the gist of the wiring and tubing that was used to syphon off the magic from the stone in order to power the armor. It really was amazing how he and Dr. Banner had managed to come up with a non-magical system that relied on magic to run, and Ianto couldn't help but be impressed with it all.

"I've been working on it for a while now," Tony said, "but it wasn't until Bruce came along that I could work out the logistics of it. And, when Fury had announced his idea for this Avengers Initiative thingy, I knew the armor would be perfect."

"I'm sorry," Ianto interrupted, "but the what?"

"Oh yeah, you're not up on the Council of Barons and their business. Fury's come up with this idea of a team of unique individuals who would be a rapid response force answering to the Council. They'd be sent where they were needed, when quick action was required. It's really pretty brilliant, actually."

It…was. The closest the United Kingdom came to that was Jack's team, but Ianto doubted that was what Baron Nick meant by 'unique'. He had to wonder just who the Baron had in mind for this team, and what sort of Wizard would fit. Because there would need to be at least one onboard with this idea. Knowing that Baron Nick was best friends with Phil, he could see the man approaching the Void Wizard for referrals.

Although, if Baron Nick wanted 'unique' to mean 'powerful', he should really consider Phil as a part of that team. Ianto wondered if Phil would accept. Probably not, since he had enough on his plate at the moment.

"And this is why you decided to test the armor?" Ianto asked. "Because of this so-called Avengers team?"

"Well, yeah." Tony met Ianto's eyes squarely. "I've always been about making the world better for people…well, since I got kidnapped, that is. But, to do that, there have to actually be people to make things better _for_. The way to make that happen is to have something that can be used to protect the ones who can't protect themselves. We're living in a world of miracles now, what with Wizards coming back, but that also means that the threats could possibly get more powerful as well. Just look at Loki. He managed to kick Phil's ass, and we all know Daisy's Dad is up there on par with you."

Those…were well-thought out sentiments, and Ianto could understand where Tony had come up with them. Still, to use an untested magical Artifact… "I can agree with what you're saying. But, Tony, we don't know exactly what that stone in your chest _is_. Can you remember _anything_ about it from your time as a prisoner?"

The Baron shrugged. "Only what Yinsen told me – that the gang that Obie hired to kidnap me had it, and had given it to Yinsen so he could figure out what it was and if they could use it in whatever the hells crusade they were running, even though they were dead-set against magic in the first place. And don't ask me what that crusade was…they never shared their ideology with me before I managed to escape." He looked a little shifty in that moment. "I don't remember the actual escape, although I'm pretty convinced the stone had something to do with it." He absently rubbed the area of his chest where the Artifact sat, imbedded into his skin. "They'd killed Yinsen, you see, and suddenly I wasn't in the cave anymore. I have no other way to explain it except that it was magic. Of course, it could have been Yinsen, but since he was dead at that time…" He shrugged.

"May I see?"

For a second, Ianto thought he was going to deny the request. However, after a moment Tony shrugged, unbuttoning his stained work tunic and revealing the softly glowing blue of the gemstone that had saved his life.

It sat just above Tony's heart, surrounded by scarred and puckered skin that had seemingly grown up around it, holding the Artifact in place. Ianto could immediately see that it would take nothing less than full-on surgery in order to remove it, not that it would ever _be_ removed unless someone could work out a way of doing it without killing Tony.

"Have you had a healer or physician come in and see exactly had happened to cause the original damage?"

"Yeah, Pepper insisted. I recall an explosion of some sort –"

"Which I can confirm," Sir Rhodey put in.

"—and then I work up in that cave, Yinsen leaning over me, and feeling this weight on my chest. I looked and…" he gestured toward the Artifact.

"How heavy is it?" Ianto wanted to get as much information he could before he brought his Catalyst abilities to bear on it.

"It depends." The Baron shrugged. "At first, it was like someone had stuck a lead weight to the center of my chest. But, as time went on, it's gotten lighter. Now there are times I can almost forget it's there. Well, except for the glowing part. _That_ I notice."

"I'm going to probe it a little. Perhaps it would be best if you sat down for this part?"

"Try not to kill me, alright? Pepper and I still don't have an heir, and I'd kinda like to keep the Barony in the family."

His flippant words covered a whole world of meaning.

"I'll do my best." Ianto wouldn't do anything that even seemed like it would endanger Tony's life. Despite the man's irreverent nature, the Wizard quite liked him, and didn't want to see either him or Pepper hurt.

Which made the examination of the Artifact more important than ever. If it was somehow harming Tony, then it would have to be removed, and they would need all the information they could get on its structure and enchantments.

After Tony took a seat in one of the very few chairs in the workshop, Ianto took a deep breath and blinked, bringing his magical sight into play.

"It's amazing how magic presents itself in different people," Dr. Banner mused just loud enough to be heard in the silence that had descended. "Grand Master, I understand yours is quite unique among Wizards."

"It is," Ianto confirmed, but he did it absently, as he stared at the glowing stone in awe.

That magical signature was vaguely familiar…

Ah.

If Stephen hadn't pointed it out already, Ianto never would have realized that this Artifact had been created by the same Wizard that had enchanted the Pendant of Souls and the stone in Loki's spear.

He was shaken by that realization. How had the terrorists gotten their hands on such an ancient Artifact? And what had they wanted Master Yinsen to actually do with it? After all, everyone knew that Tony had been kidnapped at the behest of Obadiah Stane, and that the kidnappers hadn't gone according to Stane's plan: that Tony had been meant to be murdered, but that they'd decided he would be of more use to create an anti-magic weapon of some sort. Had they thought to test whatever weapon the Baron would have built on the stone?

But what about _before_ they'd taken Tony?

He supposed they would never know. However Tony had managed to escape, it had left everyone else in the cave system where he'd been held dead, and Master Yinsen had been flat-up murdered by the terrorists just before the escape.

"What is it?" Pepper murmured.

His expression must have told her something. Damn, his ability to hide his emotions behind a bland mask must have been fading away with age.

"It's…incredibly ancient," he reported. "And it contains the magical signature of the same Wizard who created one of the most dangerous Artifacts in the Archives…and Loki's spear."

"Shit." Tony sounded both stunned and disgusted.

"Master Yinsen didn't say how the kidnappers got their hands on it?" Any clue would have been helpful.

"If he knew, he never told me. He just said they'd found it, but I think there's more to the story than that."

He'd been afraid of that. "I'm going to touch it. Please let me know if you feel anything out of the ordinary."

"This whole situation is fucking out of the ordinary."

Ianto couldn't help snorting, because Tony was pretty much correct. "Would someone mind bringing me a chair as well?"

"I've got it." Sir Rhodey pulled one of the other chairs, this one straight-backed, over to where Ianto indicated.

Thanking him, the Wizard sat, leaning toward Tony, his hand stretching out toward the Artifact. He knew he didn't need to explain what he was about to do; everyone in the room knew his history, about how he'd started out as Master Archivist at Torchwood Castle, the youngest to ever be so simply because he'd had a magical ability. At the time, he hadn't known he was actually a full-blown Wizard, that wouldn't come until later, but he'd been able to discover just what an Artifact could do – and be able to use it – simply by touching it.

Oh, it hadn't always been a good thing, being what had been called at the time a Catalyst. He'd had his share of failures, and at least one person had paid the price. However, he'd had far more successes, and it had made him invaluable to the Baroness Cardiff at the time, who had only cared that she had a true magic-user working for her, for the prestige that had brought.

Now, he still used his ability when an unknown Artifact showed up. However, he was always more cautious about it, usually working in isolation in order to avoid any sort of injury to an innocent bystander. This time he didn't have that option, and would have to pray that his taking a peek inside the workings of the stone wouldn't do any damage to the person it was melded to.

Even before he could touch it physically, his fingers began to tingle as the magic reacted to its presence. He glanced up, and Tony didn't seem to be showing any discomfort, so Ianto continued until his fingertips rested directly onto the surface of the gemstone.

It was like touching something Godly.

In that moment, Ianto's magical senses expanded. He could see everyone around him even though he wasn't physically looking at anyone. Then, they expanded again, and he found himself seeing Ferrous-town and its environs, able to watch as Wizards and non-magical folk alike interacted, a web as light as silk yet as strong as steel connecting them all together and with the world itself.

Expanding again, the Wizard could now see how the world connected to the warp and weft of the universe. His consciousness was _everywhere_, seeing _everything_, and it was awe-inspiring and terrifying all at the same time.

He was seeing _space_. The space within, and the space without.

Ianto had no idea how long he'd been touching the Artifact – the Space Stone, it told him, with the power to control all those spaces he'd been able to see – but he pulled away, not wanting to see anything else. It had already been too much, and he felt like weeping at the immenseness of it all.

"Ianto?" Pepper asked worriedly, hers the first voice he heard after coming back to himself.

He glanced up at her, unable to put into words what he'd seen. This sort of thing shouldn't exist, it was an object that should have been impossible, and yet, there it was, bonded to a normal human being and keeping his heart beating _because it wanted to_. It didn't have a consciousness per se, but somehow it _knew_, it knew who and what Tony Stark was and wanted him protected. It was _beyond_ consciousness, and now Ianto had wished he'd Touched the gem within the hilt of Loki's spear, to examine it much closer, to see what made it the way it was.

Because, while the gemstone in the spear and the Soul Stone and the Space Stone had all been created by the same Wizard, they each seemed to have different _intentions_ behind their enchantments. Oh, how powerful had that Wizard been! What magicks the ancient Wizards had had at their beck and call.

Dafydd had explained a lot to him, about that alternate universe he'd been a part of, where magic had never been locked away from the world by Master John Smith. Of the wonders that the Wizards had been able to perform. Ianto had a sudden notion that Dafydd's world had only been a pale imitation of the past, now that he'd seen what the Space Stone had shown him.

Now, everyone in the room was staring at him, at his silence, and he knew he had to say something or else at least Daisy would be calling Jack and telling him to get his ass to Ferrous and take his husband home or something equally damaging to his dignity.

"It…it's amazing," he finally managed to force out. "Whoever created it was a genius." Tony looked as if he was going to argue with the use of that particular word, and so Ianto clarified, "A _magical_ genius."

The Baron looked mollified by that qualification.

"That Artifact," he waved generally toward the area of Tony's chest, "literally connects to the warp and weft of space. When I touched it," he struggled for words, "it was like…like I was touching infinity. I suddenly saw _everything_. The human mind simply isn't able to comprehend that, or seeing infinite space, so I can't even describe it."

"No," Daisy said, "I think you just described it enough for us all to get it."

"But is it dangerous?" Pepper demanded, thinking only of her husband's safety.

Ianto could completely understand her priorities. "I honestly can't say. Tony isn't magical, so he won't be able to actually _touch_ the magic within the stone itself, and he also won't be able to tap into what I just did."

"Well, _that_ sucks," Tony drawled, very obviously disappointed. "After that build-up I really wanted to see it for myself."

"But is it _safe_?" Pepper pressed, her face pale.

Ianto had to be honest. "Not in the slightest. However, it's not going to hurt Tony, and I wouldn't even begin to know how to remove it anyway." He didn't add the part where the stone _wanted_ to be where it was. He didn't think that would go over too well.

"And what about using it to power the armor?" Dr. Banner inquired.

The Wizard considered that. "Did you feel any ill effects from the stone at all?"

Tony shrugged. "Nope. The only thing I felt was the adrenaline rush of being able to fly and blow shit up."

"I can't honestly say that won't change. But the Artifact itself doesn't seem to mind. If anything, it's horrifically overpowered so there's only a slight danger that it will give out while being used, and it's not corrupted that I can tell." Not even the other Artifacts with the same magical signature were _technically_ corrupt; they'd been used for evil purposes, even if the Pendant of Souls was inherently bad because of its nature to steal souls.

But he couldn't understand why the Wizard who'd done all that hard work in enchanting the stones would create such a wonder as the Space Stone, and then the horror of the Soul Stone? And what exactly was the stone in Loki's spear?

Ianto needed to see that spear again, to determine what that Artifact actually _was_.

His next stop…the Secure Archives. Ianto needed to do a more complete scan of the spear. One he should have done a long time ago.


	40. Chapter 40

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil leaned in the doorway, watching Clint and Crystal as his lover read to their daughter one of those horrible Wizard books that kids seemed to adore and yet got so much wrong, the little girl curled up in his lap in one of the large chairs by the windows.

Clint was even doing the voices.

He didn't think he could love him anymore than he did in that moment.

The Elf glanced up, smiling as he saw Phil standing there, but he kept on reading. Crystal didn't notice, so engrossed was she in the story. The two dragons, though, looked up from their place on the couch, welcoming Lola with chirps and making room for her to join them.

Phil simply reveled in the feeling of peace that flowed through him, knowing that it wouldn't last long. He was home, with his loved ones – except for Daisy, who was safe at Barony Ferrous – in a place that he never would have dreamed of having back when he'd first met Clint, as the angry and bitter Dark One. He'd changed so much, good changes that had come from those past bad decisions, and he couldn't begrudge his younger self from the path he'd taken to get where he was now.

Crystal realized he was there a few minutes later, and she jumped down off Clint to run toward him, calling, "Dad!" and flinging herself at him. Phil reached down and picked her up, shifting her so she rested against his hip, her arms around his neck. "You're back!"

"I told you I wouldn't be gone long." At least, Phil had _hoped_ he wouldn't. Anything could have happened, Prince Thor could have wanted to see him for nefarious purposes. Now, having met the Prince, he'd come to realize that there wasn't a less nefarious person out there in the world, which had been a revelation in someone who was destined to become a king.

"How did it go?" Clint joined them, resting a hand on Phil's unburdened hip, the warmth of his touch like comfort and support all at once.

"I like him." Phil couldn't help but smile. "He suspects. But he won't say anything."

The Wizard didn't need to say anything more, Clint would understand. That Thor suspected that Phil had once been the Dark One, an evil Wizard, and yet wasn't going to pose a threat. He could tell the moment his lover figured it out, because the tension in his shoulders faded away, and a relieved smile touched his eyes.

That had been their number one worry, that Prince Thor had somehow figured it out. It could have caused all sorts of problems, because he could have easily spread the word beyond the Guild and the small group of people who knew the truth of who Grand Master Phil Coulson had once been.

And yet, he'd come out of that meeting with a potential new friend and ally, even if Thor had somehow worked it out that Grand Master Phil Coulson and the Dark One were one and the same.

"Who doesn't know what, Dad?" Crystal asked curiously.

He should have known she'd pick up on what he said. His little girl was showing her brilliance, and Phil couldn't wait to see what she would be able to accomplish when she was older. "I had a meeting today," he explained, "with Prince Thor, he's from a country to the north."

"Was he a nice man?"

"He was very nice." Phil had been impressed with him. He'd been able to work out that it had been Phil himself who'd faced down Loki with only a few random clues. At least he hadn't seemed to care about the Dark One, which had been a surprise. Phil had believed that _everyone_ despised the Dark One and were glad he'd been killed by a mad Wizard in a duel. Apparently the news hadn't gotten to Asgard, or at least to Prince Thor, and he'd worked it out on his own. Phil had to wonder if Queen Frigga had been informed about it, and if she'd put it all together as well.

He was willing to bet she had.

"And he's a real Prince?" Crystal was in awe.

"Yes, sweetheart, he really is a Prince."

"You know a Prince!" that came out in an excited squeal. "Can I meet a real Prince, Dad?"

Phil glanced at Clint, and his lover had a hand over his mouth, most likely to stifle either laughter or one of those embarrassing noises that parents made when they thought their child was being adorable. It was most likely a combination of both.

"Maybe when Prince Thor has some time later on," he told her.

She hugged him tightly. Phil didn't know what it was about meeting a prince made his youngest so excited, but he was willing to indulge her. Crystal hadn't had a lot of that in her short life, and if he had to spoil her rotten for a bit, then he would. And, if that meant meeting Prince Thor, then he would arrange it as soon as things with Loki were done.

Besides, he thought the Prince of Asgard could be a friend. He would have a chance to find out if his feelings were correct.

He was about to suggest the three of them sitting down and letting Clint finish the chapter they'd been reading – even though he had absolutely no interest in that particular book, since it was pretty dire in his opinion – when a shiver of magic traveled up his spine to set off a warning flash in his brain.

"We have a guest," he said calmly.

Clint frowned. "No one can find the Keep."

"No one without an invitation. And they came in via one of my own Teleport Artifacts." Which narrowed the field considerably to family and friends. The UnPlotable spell on the Keep would have made anyone searching for him impossible, so it wasn't some sort of attack.

Carrying Crystal, Phil turned and left the library, heading toward the door of his casting chamber, where whoever it was had entered the Keep. It was yet another sign that it was an Artifact that he'd enchanted himself, since the only way into his casting chamber was through the nearly impenetrable Shield charms he'd put up ages ago, when Daisy had had much less control than she did now. Those charms plus the UnPlotable would have made it impossible for anyone to get in that way without permission.

Just as the three of them – Clint had, of course, followed along – got to the door, it was flung open, to reveal Ianto standing there, Myfanwy looking as ruffled as her Wizard at his feet. "Phil, it's –" then he seemed to notice Crystal, and every single shred of anxiety fell behind so perfect a friendly mask that Phil was envious. "Hello, Crystal," he smiled.

Phil wanted to know exactly what sort of magic she had that could turn adults into mush. Because he wanted to bottle that up and sell it. He would have more of a fortune than he already did if he could do that.

"Hi, Uncle Ianto!" Crystal's deciding to adopt everyone she knew into their family was undeniably cute, and Phil wanted to laugh because Ianto seemed so very surprised by it.

Daisy had done the same with James and Steve. Maybe it was becoming a habit with his daughters? Maybe he should be having a word with them?

No. If they both felt safe enough with these people then he wasn't about to make a big deal out of it.

In that moment, Andrew appeared from the direction of the sitting room, his eyebrow raised as he took in the tableau before him. "The alarm went off," he explained; Phil had set up the alarm quite a while ago, so that the non-magical residents of the Keep would know whenever a person Teleported in. "I was just coming to meet whoever appeared in our home without calling first." There wasn't any sort of censure in his words, but Phil understood how much stock Andrew put in on getting some sort of warning when someone was going to visit.

"I apologize," Ianto answered, a little breathlessly. "However, something has occurred that I need to speak to Phil about immediately."

Andrew held his arms out to Crystal. "Then let's let the adults have their boring meeting, and I'll help you with your letters."

"Okay, Dr. Andrew." Crystal let herself be plucked from her father's arms, making a face. "Is adult stuff boring?"

"Very much so." He gave her an indulgent smile.

"But you're an adult, Dr. Andrew."

"Which is how I know it's all boring." He scrunched up his nose at her, in an exaggerated show of disgust.

The little girl nodded in that emphatic way that all little children had when faced with something they didn't understand but trusted the adult who'd said whatever it was that did not know. "Then learning my letters would be more fun. But Daddy needs to finish the chapter he was reading to me later."

"I promise." Clint leaned over and kissed her on the head.

Phil did the same, his heart swelling. He really had no idea what he'd done to deserve this family he'd managed to build up around himself, but he wasn't about to give it up for anything.

"Bye, Uncle Ianto!" she called out over Andrew's shoulder as he carried her away, giggling when he swung her up and onto his shoulders. Lockjaw chattered at them both as he followed.

"He and Melinda need kids," Clint said. "They're both amazing with Crystal."

"You should have seen Melinda with Daisy," Phil told him. "At the time, Andrew was still carrying that curse around, so he wasn't around as much; he was too afraid of scaring her. Not that I think he would have, but I can't blame him for being self-conscious. Now," he turned to Ianto, "what's got you so up in arms?" It had to have been something pretty bad if Ianto was barging in like this.

"Something's happened. Can we talk about it in your study?"

"Of course." It must have been fairly bad if Ianto was just showing up without calling first. "And Daisy's not here so we don't have to worry about her listening in." Both Clint and Ianto were aware of Daisy's intimate knowledge of the best secret places within the Keep to spy on people, including the one near his study.

"I saw Daisy at Ferrous," Ianto confirmed as they made their way up the stairs and toward the study.

Phil's eyebrows rose and his heartbeat sped up. "Did something happen at Ferrous?" He had to calm down. If Daisy had been hurt, Pepper would have called him directly. No, Ianto would have been there for another reason, one that didn't have anything to do with Daisy.

"You could say that," his Cardinal counterpart confirmed, "and it's tied into what's got me here without any warning."

The moment they entered the study, both Lola and Lucky chivvied a calming Myfanwy over to the couch where Lola would usually curl up when Phil was doing work, the dragons getting her to lay down first so they could cuddle up to the elder dragon. It was fascinating to watch as every last bit of tension left Myfanwy once she was settled, and she sighed in pleasure at the contact with others of her own kind.

Clint took one of the chairs, while Phil himself remained standing, leaning against the front of the desk in order to watch Ianto pace a little, and he waved a hand that activated the wards and sealed the door shut, to avoid anyone just walking in on them. He had the feeling that the Cardinal Wizard would want privacy for what he was about to tell them.

Once the wards were set, Ianto stopped his rather frenetic pacing, turning on his heel so he could face Phil dead on. "There's no easy way to say this, but Phil…Clint…Loki's spear is missing from the Secure Archives, and I have no idea how anyone could have gotten in to steal it."

Clint stiffened, but Phil remained relaxed. Yes, he would have preferred it to have been a bit longer before anyone noticed, but it was bound to happen eventually.

"I thought the Secure Archives were just that…secure," Clint demanded. "How the hells did Loki get in there to take it?"

"I have no idea," Ianto answered fretfully. "I checked the wards, and the only people who have been inside were myself, Stephen, and Phil."

He needed to put a stop to this, to reassure both his friend and his lover that Loki didn't have the spear back. "Loki didn't take it. I did."

Phil didn't believe he could have surprised Ianto anymore than in that moment; Clint as well, his lover gaping at him like a fish. "Why?" Ianto asked softly, eyes narrowing.

"And when?" Clint challenged. "You were out like a light last night!"

He explained about waking up last night, knowing that he wouldn't really regain his strength without ridding himself of the tainted Void, and how he'd decided to do just that…and used the excuse to toss Loki's spear into the Void.

"I couldn't take the risk that Loki wouldn't be able to gain allies within the Guild," he finished. "I understand that only the three of us have access to the Secure Archives, but Ianto…there would have always been a chance that he would find a way to coerce one of us to let him in. Now, it's gone for good, and the Void will keep it safer than any of us could have done." He slumped a little against the desk, the edge of it cutting a little into his hips. "I wasn't about to take the chance that Loki would get it, and do to others what he'd done to Clint. Did you know he was the only one to have survived being taken control of? I just couldn't let it stay in the Secure Archives when there might be even the shadow of a chance of it getting out again. I didn't want anyone else losing someone they loved just because Loki could talk someone into whatever scheme he had going."

Ianto sighed. "I understand that, Phil, but couldn't you have said something to either me or Stephen?"

"No, because if Loki somehow got leverage on either of you…you can't tell me you wouldn't do anything if it meant Jack, or Eirlys, or your grandchildren were safe? Including telling Loki that I knew where the spear was and could probably get it back?"

Phil didn't think it needed to be said that letting the information get out that Grand Master Phil Coulson, who could open and close Void Points at will, had banished the spear to the Void would paint targets on all of them.

"Besides, that thing killed me. I wasn't about to just let it lay around for someone to take it and try again."

Even after all these years, Phil could still remember how it had felt to have been stabbed by that damned thing. He didn't want anyone else to have to go through that ever again.

Clint was confused. "You managed to sneak out of our bed, Teleport to Gateway, open a Void Point and not only expel the bad Void but to toss that damned spear into the Void…last night?" His face was disbelieving. "How, Phil? You got out past me, and I'm not a deep sleeper by any stretch of the imagination…" then his eyes turned hard. "Did you put me to sleep so I wouldn't notice you leaving?"

Phil didn't want to admit that he had, but he had to be honest, he couldn't lie to Clint. "I didn't want you to wake up, because you'd insist on going with me, and that wasn't possible. I'm sorry, and I would have told you at some point, but last night…don't you see? I wasn't about to let you get anywhere near that spear again, not after what it had done to you –"

"Do _not_ make this about me," Clint snapped angrily. "This is all on _you_, because you're so used to doing things on your own that you don't know how to let someone help you! You were still exhausted! What would have happened if you'd collapsed down in the Archives? You might have been down there for days before anyone found you!"

"I had Lola with me," Phil insisted. "Even if I had collapsed, I would have been fine with her there." He was arguing because he didn't want to admit that Clint may have a point, when he said that Phil was just used to doing things on his own.

Yes, there had been that desire not to let Clint be anywhere near that spear, after what it had done to him. His lover still had nightmares about what he'd done under Loki's thrall, and Phil wasn't about to risk piling more on.

"You're not hearing me, Phil." Clint got right up into his face, and it was the angriest he'd ever seen his lover. "I get why you wanted to get that damned spear as far away from all of us as possible. But you didn't have to do it _alone_. You have me, now, I could've watched your back. Or, I could have carried you home if it was too much for you!" His voice quiet. "I am with you in this, for as long as we're allowed to have. But you have to let me in. You can't go behind my back just because you think it's for the best." His eyes were imploring, and they made Phil's heart ache. "I love you, you idiot. But you need to _think_ about this, okay?"

And, with that, Clint was gone, Lucky hot on his heels, the door closing softly after him.

Phil slumped backward, the only thing keeping him on his feet was the desk under his hips and hands. That had gone so completely wrong; he'd done what he'd thought was right, in keeping Clint as far away from the spear as possible. Instead, Clint had found out, and now…damnit, he closed his eyes, feeling incredibly tired in that moment. Oh, not the tiredness of using too much magic, but what came when his emotions had wrung out to dry on the washing line of his heart, twisted up and blown about by winds that tore through him like a maelstrom.

A hand rested on his shoulder, the tingle of the Deep Ways thrumming through the contact. "This is my fault," Ianto murmured. "I had no idea…"

Phil took a deep breath, opening his eyes. "No, he's right…I wanted to protect him, when what I should have been doing was let him in. I just didn't expect anyone to find out about the spear so soon."

Ianto huffed a laugh. "You can blame Tony Stark for that."

"You can blame Tony Stark for a lot of things." Despite his despair, Phil couldn't help but be amused. "What has he done now?"

"Oh, he only created a magical set of armor that's powered by the gemstone that got grafted to him."

The longer Ianto talked, the more amazed Phil became. "And this is why you went to the Secure Archive?"

"Yes. That gem…the Space Stone…it was made by the same Wizard who created the stone in the Soul Pendant and the one in Loki's spear. I never actually read that particular Artifact, Phil, and I think I need to. The others…they're so powerful, and yet so completely different."

So they had a Space Stone, and a Soul Stone. How many other Artifacts did this ancient Wizard create? So far, two of them tapped into such universal forces…that sort of power had to have been incredible.

Phil could understand why Ianto would have immediately wanted to check out the spear, after 'reading' the Artifact keeping Baron Tony alive. Now that they knew all three were from the same source…

"Alright." Phil rubbed his hands together, feeling the Void calling to him, to know that he'd determined his course of action. "But I'm going to toss it right back into the Void as soon as you're done…that's if I can find it. Me locating Steve Rogers had been the Void giving him to me, and the spear is something completely different."

"No, I understand. Your instinct was right; we cannot chance Loki getting it back, and this way you would be the only one who could retrieve it. And, I know you…it would take an extraordinary circumstance that would get you to do that."

The only thing that would have forced him to, was if his family was in danger. At that point, Loki would have been dead and getting his primary weapon back would have been the _least_ of the mad Asgardian's worries.

Calling upon the Void once more, Phil reached out with both hands and pulled the Veil apart. He didn't create a large hole, like last night; just large enough to put his hand inside and see if the Void would give up the spear to him.

He thrust his arm within the tear. The Void felt cool and welcoming, as if an old friend was reaching out to shake his hand. He sent a thought out, hoping the Void would understand what he wanted.

Something colder than the Void touched his palm. He wrapped his fingers around it, and pulled gently, sending a silent thanks out for providing him what he was requesting so quickly.

Loki's spear came out through the hole he'd created.

Phil handed it to Ianto, then closed the Void back up. He could have left it open, but he hadn't wanted the Void to disrupt Ianto's scans of the Artifact housed within the shaft of the spear and, as his friend was Cardinal, it would do just that.

Ianto was shaking his head in wonder. "That never fails to amaze me."

"Have you tried to do that yourself yet?" As Cardinal Champion, Ianto should be able to replicate it, only with the Deep Ways.

"No, and I won't until I absolutely have to."

Phil could understand why Ianto might not want to experiment with that sort of thing, but he was pretty certain that his friend would be able to do the same thing. However, he wasn't going to push the issue, letting Ianto decide in his own time.

The Cardinal Grand Master stared at the spear in his hands, brows furrowed. "Yes, Stephen was right…this gem was definitely enchanted by the same Wizard as the Soul Stone and the Space Stone; it has that same otherworldly feel to it. May I?" he nodded toward the desk.

"Of course."

Giving his thanks, Ianto rested the spear on the desk, then took the chair behind it. Laying there, it didn't seem like much, the main body of the spear silvery steel, the curved blade hooked a little at the sharp end. The stone sat within its setting, glowing softly, and with his magical senses Phil could tell there was something off about it, although it wasn't necessarily malevolent even if it had been used in that way.

Ianto leaned forward a little, then rested his fingertips on the stone. As Phil watched, the stone flared a little at the other Wizard's touch, Ianto closing his eyes as he concentrated on feeling his way around the gem's magic.

The stone began to glow a little more fiercely.

There was a sudden, small pressure behind Phil's eyes, as if he was suffering from some sort of allergy attack. It was vaguely uncomfortable, and he rubbed his temple in an attempt to rid himself of the headache that seemed to be growing.

It took him only a heartbeat to guess that it was the stone that was pressing against his mind.

Just as Phil was about to move forward and pull his friend's fingers away from their contact with the Artifact when Ianto gasped, yanking his own hand away. He blinked, the black ellipses of his eyes returning to their usual blue, widened in surprised awe.

"What was that?" he demanded as Ianto got himself back under some semblance of control.

"It…" he seemed unable to describe it. As impatient as Phil was to know what had just occurred, he knew rushing Ianto wouldn't do any good. "I suddenly found myself touching every single mind within the Keep."

That…wasn't good at all.

"But that wasn't all," his Cardinal counterpart added. "Soon, I was literally aware of every single mind in the world. It quickly spread out to…well, everyone. It was too much. The brain simply isn't equipped to handle that sort of thing."

Phil was stunned. That meant Loki hadn't even used a fraction of the stone's power. It was a truly scary thought.

He walked to the drinks cabinet, poured himself and Ianto a brandy, and offered it to his friend.

Ianto murmured his thanks, accepting the drink and sipping it. "Phil, you were completely in the right to put the Mind Stone away from any chance of recovery. If Loki had been able to tap into all that power…he would never have been stopped. Can you imagine…being able to control so many minds? He only took a couple of dozen eleven years ago. What would he have achieved if he'd been able to control a hundred? A thousand? There is literally no limit to what he could have done if he'd been able to access it all."

The Mind Stone. Was that the Artifact's actual name, or was Ianto assigning them as he discovered just what each of them could do? Because it hadn't escaped his attention that he'd called the one in Baron Tony's chest as the Space Stone, and the one in the Archive as the Soul Stone. No one really understood Ianto's Catalyst abilities, so it could very well be that the Artifacts were somehow communicating their own names to him when he touched them.

"What if he'd controlled you, Phil?" Ianto went on, sounding vaguely hectic. "You were powerful back then, and you hadn't even come into all of your magic yet. He could have used the Dark One to perform so many profane acts, it terrifies me. Thank the Gods Clint doesn't remember it all, I can't imagine him having to deal with all of that."

Phil didn't tell him that Clint _did_ remember it all, if only in his nightmares. He'd asked Marcus about it, about what Clint had done under the power of the mad Asgardian, and his best friend hadn't wanted to tell him…but had, eventually, in order to get him to stop asking about it. It had been sheer torture to hear it all, but it meant that Phil knew exactly what his lover dreamt about, and could comfort him to the best of his ability.

"Put it back." Ianto pushed himself back from the desk, away from the spear. "We can't leave it loose in the world. And, eventually, I want you to banish the Soul Stone as well. Neither one should be left out where they might be used."

"And what about the other? The Space Stone?" He was dreading the answer, since its removal would affect a human being who hadn't asked for it to become attached to him so physically.

Ianto rubbed his forehead. "We need to get a powerful healer in to take another look at Tony, with the goal of getting it off him in a way that won't kill him. I don't see a reason why he can't keep wearing it until then, but whoever created these Artifacts…how many more of them are there? Had the original maker had some sort of purpose for them? I just don't have the answers, and it's best we get them contained. I was willing to let Tony keep the one he has, but now…I have a bad feeling about this. I don't know why, but it's there, and Jack's always telling me I should follow my instincts because they're usually correct."

Phil had to agree. "The more I learn about the ancient Wizards," he said dryly, "the more I wonder just how the world survived them."

"It almost didn't," Ianto snorted.

He had a valid point; after all, magic had been cut off because of one Wizard seeing a future where there'd been a war amongst the Wizards that had ended up destroying everything. Phil had hope that they could learn from the past but sometimes he despaired of it, what with the Greats and their propaganda, and now Hydra showing up. Things were bad, but not beyond repair. If they could get things settled, Wizards supporting each other…

Then he shivered. If someone had gotten to these particular Artifacts, if a Great who had it in for Cardinals and Voids…

At the moment, no one knew just how powerful the Artifact in Baron Tony's chest was. Hells, not a lot of people even knew of its existence. The Baron had been understandably tight-lipped about his kidnapping, which was actually pretty out of character for the man, so that secret was still in play. But, once it got out – and it very well may, if he's using it to power this suit of armor – he would be a target.

"Baron Tony can't use the armor," he concluded. "We can't let it get out that he even has that stone, let alone how powerful it is."

"Shit." Ianto rubbed his face. "And I didn't think it would hurt for him to use it for now."

"If he's dead-set on it, we need to come up with a cover story for it." Phil began to pace. "Right now, only a few people really know about the stone keeping him alive. For once, he's kept his mouth shut about the actual circumstances of his kidnapping. We need to keep it that way." He chewed on his thumbnail as he thought. "Maybe we can convince him to say it's some sort of new power source he's invented. People will actually believe it."

"Yes." Ianto nodded. "It may even hold up under scrutiny from other Wizards; Gods know I didn't pay any attention to it, because it only broadcasts the barest amount of power when it's quiescent. I doubt anyone would put together the vague magical residue it puts out and that glowing stone that powers the armor."

"They may even think it's some of Pepper's work," Phil pointed out. "Some sort of charm or protection she put on him." They needed to get this story out as soon as possible, to stave off anyone putting it all together and coming up with Tony Stark being in control of a very potent magical Artifact. That would paint a bullseye on him for anyone out to gain that sort of power.

"I'm going to contact Pepper immediately." He stood. "Go ahead and put that away and, if you get a free minute, do the same for the Soul Stone. I don't have any proof, but I just get the feeling that a Wizard putting all those stones together would be a very bad thing indeed."

Phil got the same impression. "What's the chance we can find out more about them in the Archives?"

"I have no idea. But I think we need to make the attempt."

Yes. They did. Because there had to have been a purpose behind those three stones. And they needed to know if there were more out there, just waiting for someone unscrupulous to find them and use them.

And Phil didn't want to see that happen.


	41. Chapter 41

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-One

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint stormed out of the Keep and into the back garden, down the path into the valley, needing to get out and calm himself down before he could even hope to talk to Phil.

"Idiot," he muttered under his breath, although who was calling that he wasn't sure. It was most likely Phil, but it could have been himself as well.

For most of his life, Clint had considered himself a loner. That had been even after Natasha had found him, and had become his partner; they loved each other, depended on each other and trusted one another, but there was still a little distance between them, more emotional than anything else. It hadn't been until this second chance with Phil that he'd come to the realization that he hadn't been made to be truly alone, that having someone to love and to be loved in return had filled a hole within his soul that he hadn't been aware of before.

So, he could understand Phil's rationalization of his going and dumping Loki's spear into the Void on his own, with just Lola for company. Because his lover had been the same as Clint had, and it had been one of the things that had drawn the Elf to the Wizard, recognizing that same hole within the Dark One that Clint had carried around with him, even if he wasn't aware of it at the time. He saw it now with a clarity he'd wished he'd had back then, because it would have explained why he'd fallen so hard for the dark Wizard.

Clint found himself back in the clearing where he'd met Idris. It looked different during the day, but those differences were only peripheral to his roiling thoughts.

What Phil had done last night was to protect the family. To protect _Clint_. And he was also sure there was a bit of vindictiveness against the weapon that Loki had used to kill him and to mind control Clint himself. The Elf could get behind that sort of rage, approved of it actually.

He was just having problems with Phil not letting him help.

They both needed to stop thinking like they were alone anymore. They weren't. They had each other, and the girls, and friends and chosen family and that needed to count for something. Oh, he was sure it did with Phil, but there would always be that little bit of his lover that would have him doing things all by himself, out of his own overblown need to protect his loved ones. He'd had so little love and protection as a child, Phil needed to lavish that on his own family.

No matter how much it stomped all over Clint's feelings. Or how much Clint could relate to that idea.

Clint had the same need to protect Phil as Phil had to protect Clint himself. That was what was at issue here. Phil had wanted to keep Clint as far away from that damned spear as possible, knowing what Loki had forced him to do under its thrall. He _got_ that.

But Phil hadn't taken Clint's own need to keep Phil away from the very weapon that had been used to kill him. Or his need to protect their family from that selfsame spear.

He'd taken away Clint's choice in the matter. He hadn't discussed it with him. He'd just done it, expecting forgiveness after.

Oh, who was Clint kidding? He was totally going to forgive Phil, because he would have done the very same thing.

The Elf sighed. Was that why he was so angry? Not because Phil hadn't taken him along, or that he'd put him to sleep so he wouldn't notice Phil was gone, but because he'd beat Clint to the punch?

Not that Clint would have been able to get into the Secure Archives. He wasn't a Wizard, even if he had the dragon of one. Still, it was the principle of the thing. And, here he'd thought it was because Phil hadn't confided in him, or taken him along. It was because his lover had done something that Clint couldn't, despite the need for him to be able to act on getting rid of the damned spear.

Damnit.

Still, Clint had been correct in one thing – Phil had needed back up when he'd gone to the Secure Archives. He hadn't been up to full strength, and could very easily have collapsed down there and no one would have known. It had been pure luck that Ianto had gone there today. Phil could have been down there, unconscious, for days, and everyone would have been panicking about it and not had any sort of clue where to look.

Sure, Lola had been with him. But she never would have left him in order to fetch help. Phil was her Wizard, and she would have stayed by his side no matter what. So, what Phil had done had put both himself and Lola in danger.

Shit, that made him _furious_.

Clint let himself sit his ass down on the grass. Lucky chirped at him worriedly, clambering up into his lap in order to cuddle with him. The archer wrapped his arms around his dragon, understanding that Lucky would have done the same for him: not left him for _anything_, watching out for him until either help came or it was too late for it. Dragons had free will, even if they were connected to their companions, and that free will would have had them standing by in case they were needed by their Wizards – or not-Wizards, in Clint's case – and would have baulked at leaving them alone for any reason whatsoever.

He loved dragons. Adored them, actually. So, for Lola to be put into that sort of situation wanted to make him scream.

As if thinking about her made her appear, Lola was by his side, cooing at him, rubbing her snout against his cheek comfortingly. Clint freed up an arm to wrap around her, pulling her close. "Hey, beautiful," he whispered.

He ignored Phil for the moment; if Lola was there, then her Wizard wouldn't have been far behind. He must have lost complete track of time, but then there was no way of knowing how long Ianto had stayed. To his credit, Phil remained silent as well, which told Clint that he'd figured out just how much he'd screwed up.

Eventually, Clint called back over his shoulder, "We need to talk about this."

"Yes, we do." Phil's voice was soft with regret.

He came into view, settling himself on the grass in front of Clint. "I'm sorry." He certainly looked apologetic, and Clint was inclined to let him grovel a little, but after his own bit of soul-searching the archer figured they both had a hand in the blow-up that had happened back in the study.

"I know you are. I also know that you have this protective streak a league wide." Clint snorted softly. "Hells, you even had it back in the Dark One's heyday, or else we never would have gone up against Wolfgang von Strucker for those kids he was holding."

"Even if I didn't know it myself." One side of Phil's mouth was twisted upward in a self-deprecating smile.

"Well, you were so used to being evil it never would have occurred to you that this was what you were feeling."

Phil didn't answer, but then he didn't need to. His lover knew better than anyone what had provoked the Dark One and, despite all the other evil acts he'd perpetrated, there had always been that tiny core of _Phil_ _Coulson_ within him that would slip out at times. He just hadn't recognized it as himself.

"The problem is," Clint went on, "is that I have that same streak in me, as well. And, this time, they both clashed big time." He reached out past Lola and took Phil's hand, his finger sliding over the cool silver of the ring there. "I wasn't kidding when I said you have to let me in. Oh, I know we're so far into each other's lives that we have that soul bond thing –"

"The _what_?" Phil was apparently shocked by that.

So, he really _hadn't_ known. The Elf hadn't thought to even mention it yet, but it had really just slipped out. His timing sucked.

Which meant Clint would have to explain it now, rather than later when he'd gotten up the courage to do so.

So, he did.

"That…explains why I felt like you were lending me your strength back at Ianto's, during that curse breaking." Phil looked pensive. "I thought I was imagining it."

"Nope. Stephen pointed it out. Said it's just like the one Jack and Ianto have, only weaker because we haven't been bonded for as long as they have. He said it would eventually be that strong, though."

"That was what you didn't want to talk about yet."

"Yeah. But it seemed like my mouth wanted to talk about it now."

There was such an expression of heartbreaking hope on Phil's face. "I've noticed the bond between Jack and Ianto before, but I never thought I'd have that for myself one day…" Then his face crumpled. "That makes it worse, doesn't it? That I'll live on, and you'll die someday…"

Shit.

"Hey." He squeezed Phil's hand. "Let's not go borrowing trouble just yet. We'll have centuries together, and who knows what might happen? We have plenty of time to figure things out. We should just enjoy what we have now."

"You're right." He gave Clint a wan smile. "And I promise…I won't cut you out like I did last night. Although, I'd been hoping that no one would discover the spear being missing for a long time yet."

"And that's another thing…if something had happened to you down there, it could have been days before anyone would've thought to look down there…if they ever have. And you claim you had Lola with you, but she would never have left if you'd collapsed down there. You not only put yourself in danger, but her as well."

Phil nodded, looking suitably chastised. "You're right. But I do want it on record that Lola agreed with me doing it with just the pair of us."

Lola nodded, her chattering equally apologetic.

"Next time you want to do a little breaking and entering, ask for someone to watch your backs," Clint chided, although he put enough lightness in his voice to make it sound as if he was teasing both of them.

"Deal." Phil's eyes looked a little lighter, a little less tired. "In the spirit of sharing, I suppose I should let you know exactly what prompted Ianto to go to the Archives."

"That might be a good idea, yeah."

His lover explained.

Clint thought it was way too scary to contemplate, if Loki had used the so-called Mind Stone to its full effect.

He shivered involuntarily.

"Yes," his lover agreed, "that was exactly my reaction. No one can have access to those Artifacts; they're just too powerful."

"And the one Stark's carrying around?"

"We have a plan to draw anyone curious about the armor away from the truth." He laid out that plan, which had Clint nodding. "It's not like we can easily remove it at this point."

It was simple, yet it would work. The world knew Baron Tony Stark was a genius, so it would be an easy sell to convince people that he'd come up with some sort of mysterious power source for that armor he'd come up with.

It impressed Clint that he'd managed to figure out a way to syphon off power from the very thing that had been keeping him alive. Only the Baron of Ferrous would be brilliant enough for that sort of thing.

"Are we alright now?" Phil asked, sounding oh-so tentative.

"We are," Clint reassured him. "But no more of that doing shit to protect me. We're in this together, so keeping me informed is the best way to not make me mad. Oh, and _not_ doing alone something I'd want a hand in. I wasn't the only one that spear affected. It _killed_ you, Phil. It took you away from me. That's something I'd kinda want to do something about, you know?"

"I do." This particular smile was full of relief. "Hopefully, we won't have to deal with it ever again. No one but me can get it from the Void, and there isn't a lot that would convince me to do that."

What he didn't say was that threats to his family would do it. However, Clint also knew that Phil would kill _anyone_ threatening the people he loved, which meant anyone even attempting that shit wouldn't get very far.

"Ianto's also asking me to do the same with another of the Artifacts in the Secure Archive, one that was created by the same Wizard. I'll go and do that later today. Right now, I just want to spend some time with the man I love and one of our daughters, the one who _doesn't_ have official lessons today. And, when Daisy does get home, we can all be together. How does that sound?"

"That sounds like an excellent plan." Clint got to his feet, pushing Lucky away in order to do so, and then pulled Phil up using the hand that he was still holding. He then tugged his lover snug up against his chest, his arm around Phil's waist, and kissed him quite thoroughly.

They finally broke apart when the need to breathe became imperative. "You still need to show me how much you appreciate my ass," Phil reminded, his voice slightly husky.

Clint gave him a sly grin. "How do you feel about having sex outside?"

"I may be persuaded."

"Then I'll have to work on that."

So he proceeded to do so, happy that Phil was so willing to let him do just that.


	42. Chapter 42

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve stalked the practice field, watching his knights working with their various weapons, keeping an eye on their form and correcting things when needed.

Court had been interminable that morning, leaving Baron Nick is a pretty foul mood. It hadn't helped that he'd been called away on Baronial business immediately afterward, which had scuppered Steve's plan on approaching him to ask after Phil and seeing if there was a way to contact him, in order to check on him after yesterday's events. He'd also wanted to ask the Wizard about Bucky, to see if he'd heard anything; Ianto hadn't contacted him, either, which Steve took as good news and tried not to worry too much about the silence from that quarter.

So, to work off some of the nerves he was experiencing despite determinedly _not_ worrying, Steve changed into his everyday armor and headed out to the practice fields, sending the call out to the Knights of the Barony to report for drills.

Back when he'd been young and had had dreams of being an artist, Steve had never believed he'd ever be a leader of _anything_, let alone a troupe of Knights. Sure, he'd wanted to join the military with Bucky, to defend their country, but that had been out of the question despite all the hard work he'd done in order to conquer the childhood illnesses he'd been born with. In fact, if Howard hadn't approached him, he'd been considering moving to another Barony, lying about his identity, and joining that way. There'd been no way he'd been going to leave Bucky alone; they were best friends, and Steve had loved him, so not fighting by Buck's side hadn't even been an option.

However, when he did eventually find himself on the battlefield, Steve had learned that he had a natural gift for leadership. See the Howling Commandos as proof.

Barony Triskelia had a cadre of fifty-two Knights, of all ages and genders, each of them battle-hardened and trained, and Steve was proud to be their Commander even though it had only been weeks since he'd taken the job Baron Nick had offered him.

He'd had to learn quite a bit himself, and his Second, Alan Quartermain, had been a font of knowledge. Sir Alan had been Second under Sir Felix as well; when Steve had inquired why he wasn't the Knights' Commander instead, Sir Alan had shrugged and said he hadn't wanted the job. He was perfectly fine being Second in Command, and hadn't wanted to have to deal with all the duties that had come with the promotion.

Steve thought he might have had that part right. Court was interminably boring, except when Baron Nick got fed up with shit and gave idiots hells for even wasting his time. Now, _that_ was entertaining, and Steve knew that Mistress Maria thought so as well, just from the barely hidden smiles she'd get when it occurred.

Triskelia didn't have the largest cadre of Knights – Andrade boasted that, with nearly one hundred – or the smallest – that would have been Barony Torando, with not quite thirty – but the ones under Steve's command were highly skilled, and he was proud to lead them. Sir Felix had been tough but fair, and Steve could see the hard work he'd put in on training them up to the former Knight's high expectations.

There was a line of squires standing ready to help whatever Knight they'd been chosen by, and Steve understood that he'd be expected to take a squire at some point. In fact, Sir Alan had pointed him toward a couple of likely candidates, a Gwen Stacy and a Miles Morales. Steve was a little nervous about bringing on a squire, but it was more because he wasn't sure about his own abilities to train a youngster than anything else.

He watched as one of the Knights made a sloppy move with his sword, and Steve called out, stepping in to correct his stance. The Knight accepted the rebuke with equanimity, making the corrections and performing the block he'd been attempting to Steve's satisfaction.

Perhaps, one day, Bucky would be there to help him with the training. He wouldn't be able to join the Knights himself, with missing an arm, but Steve could vividly recall how Bucky would act around the newest recruits, joking with them even as he was teaching them, and hoped this was just one more dream that would become a reality at some point. Bucky would be excellent with the squires, and could show these Knights a thing or two from back in their time with the army.

As he made his way down the ranks of sparring Knights, Steve noticed that they had an audience. Baron Nick was standing on the sidelines, his single eye appreciative as he watched, nodding when he saw a movement he particularly liked. Steve made his way over, coming to stand on the Baron's left, almost a protective measure in the man's blind spot.

"They're looking good," Baron Nick said approvingly.

"There's still some room for improvement," Steve commented, but then he doubted he would ever fully be satisfied, despite these Knights being quite competent, thanks to their former Commander. "But I think you have the beginnings of one of the best fighting forces in the Western Lands. Have you given any thought to expanding the ranks?"

"I have. I take it you have some ideas?"

"I do." Steve had given it a lot of thought, really. "Have you considered training some Wizards up in battle tactics?"

Baron Nick smiled. "I have. I've seen how Wizards can fight. It's just getting that shit past the Guild. They can have…notions, I suppose you could say, about that sort of thing."

"Well, a fairly powerful Wizard could change the course of a battle."

"You're right. I should put you in touch with Mistress Carol Danvers. She's about the only battle Wizard we have at the moment. Also, Phil's been in fights before, as has Grand Master Ianto." He laughed. "Ask Ianto about the time he fought off an invasion force with an untrained Void Wizard and a Void Point. Oh, wait…maybe you should ask Harkness. Jones has a tendency to shrug that shit off."

Knowing Ianto even a little, Steve could tell that Baron Nick was right, and made a mental note to speak to both Jack and Phil about their experiences. "Speaking of Phil, do you know how he's doing today?" He was aware that the Baron knew exactly what had happened yesterday.

"I haven't heard anything," he admitted, "but if there was anything wrong Barton would have called. Because he knows I would kick his ass if he didn't keep me in the loop."

Steve let his eyes wander over the practicing Knights. "I'm aware you and he are old friends." He let a little sarcasm float through his words.

Baron Nick snorted. "I'm sure you are." His own words were tinged with laughter. "He's like a brother to me, which is why I let his kids get away with calling me Uncle Nick."

Steve knew it was much more than that, having seen how he reacted around both Daisy and Crystal. The Baron doted on those girls, and would eviscerate anyone who would hurt them.

Steve pretty much felt the same way. After all, Daisy had helped Buck and had stood up for him when he'd needed an advocate, and he would be forever grateful to her for that. And Crystal…little Crystal, who'd been through far too much in her short life, and who hadn't deserved any of it. He was proud to be their Uncle Steve, and could only hope to live up to that honor.

"When you're done here, come up to my sitting room. I need to talk to you about something." With those parting words, Baron Nick turned and, with a dramatic snapping of his black cloak, he strode back toward the castle, leaving a nervous little flutterings Steve's his stomach, although he couldn't have said why that was.

He closed down the training session as quickly as he could get away with, dismissing both Knights and squires to their daily duties.

Steve got cleaned up and into his more civilian clothes, then hurried toward Baron Nick's private sitting room. He hoped he wasn't about to be given bad news; it could have been about Bucky, but Steve thought that Ianto would have been the one to bring any sort of word to him, and not have the Baron do it.

No, this was something else, and the Knight had the impression that it was important, and that it would change his life in some way. He couldn't have said _how_ he knew that; he just did, deep in his very bones, an instinct that had served him well in both times or war and peace.

He'd felt it just before he'd gone to face the Skull, and look how that had turned out?

Baron Nick was the only one waiting for him, a glass of that dark red wine he was partial to, sprawled across the couch and looking as relaxed as Steve had ever seen him. Usually after a long day of Baronial business, the Baron would get like this, and it was a privilege that Steve got to see it, since not many people did.

"Come and sit," the Baron waved him toward the chair closest to his own seat. Steve accepted, as well as the glass of wine that had already been poured for him and sitting on the side table next to his elbow, knowing what a connoisseur of fine wines the Baron was and that it would have been up to his usual, excellent, standards.

"I wanted to discuss something with you," the Baron began, his eye on his glass as he swirled the dregs of the wine around within it with a smooth twist of his wrist.

Steve nodded attentively, sipping his own wine. He wasn't all that much of a drinker, but he could appreciate a good vintage when he tasted one thanks to Jacques Dernier, who'd been from wine country and who knew what was good and what was bad, and wasn't shy about sharing that knowledge.

"It's about the Avengers Initiative."

Ah. Steve had been present at the Baronial Council, and had heard the explanation that Baron Nick had given about the Initiative. To be honest, Steve thought it was a good idea, to have some sort of team that could muster out quickly to anywhere in the Western Lands, to do whatever it took to protect innocents against threats when the army couldn't get there fast enough.

Baron Nick's eye met his. "I want you to lead it."

Steve frowned even as he was seeing the sense of it. He'd been in war; he'd been a leader, and knew just how that sort of team would function, thanks to his experience with the Howling Commandos. But he also knew that it could very possibly mean that it would get out that Sir Steve Rogers, Knights' Commander of Triskelia, was actually the Paladin of the Western Lands, long thought lost in battle.

His Baron waggled a finger at him. "I see on your face what you're thinking, and even you have to admit it would only be a good propaganda tactic to be able to say that the Paladin had been reborn or whatever shit we want to spin about it."

He had to admit that yes, it would be a coup to have someone take up the mantel of Paladin for this venture. He just didn't have to like it very much. Nor did he want it to be him.

"I thought we weren't going to bring up the past," Steve flatly accused. It had been one of the points that had made him what to take this job in the first place. He'd wanted to leave the Paladin behind, in the past, where that person belonged.

"You're right. My intention was to hire on a man who needed a purpose after he'd been ripped away from his own world and found himself in a place that had to at least be confusing. Oh, and because my best friend suggested it. But, just listen to my idea. If you absolutely hate it, then that's it, and I'll never mention it again."

Well, Steve could at least give him a hearing. After all, Baron Nick was right: he _had_ given the former Paladin a purpose, one that he'd needed after losing nearly everything and everyone he'd ever known. "Alright, I'm listening."

"What I'm saying is," the Baron leaned forward, "we have the Paladin as the leader…we just don't say who the Paladin _is_. Who has to know who the Paladin is, under his armor? All we need is the shield and the sword and the armor as a symbol. No one need know it's actually my new Knights' Commander. Your privacy would be assured, and we would get a leader for the Initiative who knows what the fuck they're doing, running a small team who could kick ass."

That…hm.

Steve considered. He really didn't want to take up the mantel of the Paladin of the Western Lands again. Too much pain and heartbreak had come of it. However, he could see the reasoning behind it, if only as a symbol.

Damnit, Steve _hated_ being a symbol. He'd done enough of that before seeing real combat.

Still, symbols were important. That, he'd certainly learned. People needed them, even as much as he disliked it being him.

And this Avengers Initiative thing was a good idea. With the rise of Wizards, getting people to and from places was much easier, but not even the most powerful Wizard could move an entire army to where it was needed, nor could they make enough of those Teleport Artifacts for the thousands of troops that would be needed. Hells, it would probably be hard as well to provide them for the Knights that most Baronies had on hand. Steve had no idea what sort of effort it would take to create so many, and he was sure if he asked, any Wizard would inform him, but if it was easy to do someone would have certainly done it by now.

"Alright," he sighed. "But I do want to keep my name out of it. I know it can't last forever, but I'm still adjusting to this time and all I need are people making a big deal out of the Paladin still being alive and poking their nose into my business."

"That's what I'd want to do anyway. Besides, if I'm guessing correctly, you'll most likely want to give up the title again as soon as you can."

He was correct. Honestly Steve didn't care if he ever was the Paladin ever again. He just wanted to be Sir Steve Rogers, the Knights' Commander of Triskelia, training his people and taking on a squire and living as normal a life as possible.

"And," the Baron went on, "we can see about finding a replacement Paladin at some point."

Steve barked a laugh at that. "Another dog and pony show like Howard put on?"

"Well, we have you as a source of information so we don't make a mess of it." Baron Nick was grinning.

"I don't know. Doing it the way Howard did it, with auditions and everything, might be vaguely entertaining. It would certainly show any candidates who could deal with the absolute ridiculous. If they can deal with that, they can deal with anything."

"It might be worth it just for that!"

They shared a laugh. That whole damned process had been stupid, but it had worked. It had netted Howard Steve himself, although that hadn't been until Peggy had put her foot down about the whole sordid mess. They would need to get someone with that sort of common sense, and wondered if Steward Sharon would want that job. In the short time he'd known her, the Steward certainly had shown that sort of sense, and wouldn't stand for any sort of bullshit.

"We need a Wizard on the team," he pointed out.

Baron Nick nodded. "Look, if I had my way, it would be Phil, with Barton as well. I don't know if either of them would go for it, but I trust them and they're good people. And Phil is, quite literally, the strongest Void Wizard in the world, and we'll need the strongest and best on this team."

Steve agreed. "And, if neither of them wants to, I'm sure they can make suggestions."

"Exactly. And, if either of them baulks at it, we can point out that having a Void on the team will help in combatting the prejudice Phil is intimately familiar with."

It was yet another drop in the bucket of Grand Master Phil Coulson's past. From the few bits Steve had managed to gather, Phil's life before adopting Daisy hadn't been very good, and this confirmed the inferences that he'd made about Phil suffering some form of prejudice as a young man. Steve hated the idea that a good man like that would have had his magic held against him, but he'd also heard enough to know that it wasn't unusual, that there were certain Wizards who didn't care for either the Voids or the Cardinals. Steve didn't understand it; a Wizard couldn't control what sort of magic they had, that was up to the Gods and the Balance for that.

Baron Nick was staring at him shrewdly. "I know you've been gathering all the clues we've dropped about Phil over the month you've been around."

Steve shrugged. "Do you blame me?"

"No, not at all. He saved your life, and you think of him as a friend. He thinks the same of you. But, Rogers…Steve…he'll tell you someday. Just know that he didn't have an easy life of it, and it damaged him in a lot of ways. I was a witness to all of it, but then we've been friends since we were in school together."

"I know, I won't go prying." He didn't mean to sound so defensive, but he couldn't help it.

"I didn't say you would." The Baron smirked. "You don't want people to know you're the Paladin, so it would be hypocritical of you to want poke around someone else's private life."

"I just…I get the feeling he's worried if he tells me, I'll hold it against him."

"Yeah, there's that. But it's also because he's _ashamed_."

"We all have things in our past we're not proud of."

"You're right. So you understand why it might take him a little time to work up to explaining."

Yes, Steve could understand, and he said so. "I just can't help but wonder if he doesn't trust me."

"Oh, he does. He just doesn't trust himself."

And, after that cryptic comment, Baron Nick stood. "As soon as we have the rest of the team set, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I suspect you want to check on Barnes."

"Yes, I do. And Phil. He looked like death yesterday."

"He's a self-sacrificing idiot who doesn't know when to stop." The Baron shook his head. "Even at his lowest point, that was Phil Coulson. Come on, I'll show you my speaking mirror and we can poke Shield Keep for information."

"I'd appreciate that." Perhaps Phil would know what was going on with Bucky…if Phil was up and about.

"Besides," Baron Nick clapped him on the shoulder. "I think we should be suggesting to Phil and Barton that they'd be perfect for the Initiative."

Steve nodded. He could easily see himself working with both men, and hoped they would go along with the idea.


	43. Chapter 43

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Okay, to say Tony was a little freaked out by what Ianto had discovered about the gemstone stuck in his chest would have been an understatement.

He'd had that stone stuck to him for years, and had never even considered the power that thing had.

Well, that wasn't _exactly_ true.

When he'd somehow escaped from the terrorists, after Yinsen had been fucking _murdered_ right in front of him, Tony had believed that the gem had somehow gotten him out. He honestly couldn't recall leaving the cave under his own power; one moment, he'd been screaming. The next, he'd been on the mountainside, stumbling down toward the town he could just make out in the distance, terrified and blindingly angry at the same time. A part of him had wanted to go back into that cave and destroy every single person there, for himself and for Yinsen and because of the pain that knowing Obie had betrayed him so badly. But he'd known that would have only gotten him killed as well, and had run away, getting to town and reporting to the magistrate that they'd had a mucking huge band of terrorists hiding out in their mountains and no one had even known about it.

That was before he'd come to learn that the terrorists had somehow ended up dead…and no, he didn't want to think about that.

Damnit, he missed Yinsen. They'd only known each other a few days, but Tony had been able to tell that the Wizard would have been one of the few people the Baron would have been able to trust back then.

There was that whole, 'saving his life' thing as well. Even if Yinsen had somehow convinced an Artifact to take up residence on Tony's sternum.

He rubbed his chest absently, the stone a familiar weight now. He'd told Ianto the truth – that the gem had been heavy at first, but had grown considerably lighter as time went on, as if it truly had become a part of him. Maybe it had. Maybe it was now as integral a piece of him as his heart.

Ianto had called it the Space Stone. And what he'd _seen_ in it…Gods, Tony wished he could experience that at least once, even if it terrified him more than a little.

Bruce was looking at him in concern, so he flashed a bright smile toward his newest friend, although he got the feeling that Bruce wasn't buying it.

"At least it isn't a bunch of curses that would have turned you into a mindless monster," he commented, putting his spectacles down on the journal he'd been making notes in.

"Wow, what a way to bring something into perspective." Bruce did have a point. Tony was just a little shocked that he was mentioning it. He really hadn't talked about what Ross had done to him, not since Ianto had taken care of the worst of the curses.

Bruce gave him a raised eyebrow. "I aim to please."

Tony waggled his own eyebrows at him. "Well, if you really wanted to please…"

"One of these days someone's going to take you up on that, and you're going to have to explain to Pepper why you have a stalker."

"It hasn't happened yet." Tony waved a hand in dismissal. Besides, he only did that sort of shit to people he knew would never accept the overture. He might have had a past that was more drinking and sex than most people's, but he'd given that up when he'd chosen to woo Pepper. It had been the best decision he'd ever made.

"That's because," Rhodey piped up from the corner he'd seemed to move into, "you only flirt with taken people anymore."

Bruce huffed. "The last time I checked, I wasn't taken."

Tony's best friend – although Bruce had moved into the same friend tier that Rhodey had occupied all by himself for years – rolled his eyes. "If you believe that, then you're not as smart as Tony says you are."

"He's right, you know." Tony picked up a screwdriver, in order to have something to keep his hands busy. "You're still gone on Betty, and even more so now that you know she hasn't been staying away from you because she wanted to."

Bruce had a considering expression on this face. "Huh. You might be right."

"I usually am."

"And…there's the ego." Rhodey was laughing, taking any possible sting out of his words.

Because Rhodey understood. He'd known Tony since they were children, the brilliant scion of the Baronial family, and the boy who'd wanted to be a Knight more than anything in the world. He'd seen Tony at his worst, had protected him when the bullies had decided that Tony would make an excellent target, had taught him self-defense in case Rhodey happened to be somewhere else when they'd come around to push the smaller boy around. Tony had kicked ass the first time using a move that Rhodey had shown him; it had also got him into trouble with his jerk of a father who'd only wanted to hear one side of the story, but Rhodey had been the one to tell Tony that he was proud of how he'd managed to put the older kid face-down in the dirt.

Rhodey was the brother Tony never had. He understood that a lot of what Tony said and did was just another form or self-defense, this one learned at his father's knee in an effort to bring Howard's attention to his only son. Now, it was ingrained, something he did without thinking about it, and Rhodey never judged.

Tony was certain that others had also seen behind the flippant exterior he showed to the world. Pepper certainly did, but then he'd never had to hide from her, not since he'd come back from being kidnapped. Afterward, the asshole he showed to the rest of the world had faded a little, and he'd settled into becoming the best Baron Ferrous he could.

Those he counted as friends knew. Ianto, and Jack, Phil, and Daisy, and now Bruce…and there were others, people he'd known for a long time, and even some of the Barons on the Council. Hells, chances were there were many more, but the majority of people he'd ever been acquainted with only saw the front he chose to put up in public.

"I'm a genius," Tony snarked back, "of course I'm gonna be right."

Bruce chuckled. "Of course you are."

He was laughing, so Tony considered that a serious win. Bruce could be way too solemn, but then who could blame him? After what Ross had done? Causing him to lose the woman he loved because the asshat hadn't agreed with Bruce courting his only daughter, just because he wasn't a Wizard.

Of course, the more he'd heard about Thaddeus Ross, the more he'd come to realize that he was an equal opportunity asshat. Backing Stern's play about mini-Pepper…that had been just plain wrong. Even Bruce had commented that it made what Ross had done to him look like a child's temper tantrum in retrospect, because anyone could see that Daisy belonged with the man who'd taken care of her, who'd pulled her out of a warzone, and who had completely turned his life around the moment he'd met her.

Yeah, Tony was still trying to reconcile the fact that the man who'd been such an awesome dad to Daisy had been one of the most hated Dark Wizards in the world. It just didn't make any sense, but then if Tony himself could change, anyone could.

"Honestly," Rhodey's face turned serious, "Tone…are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Tony shrugged, hating to talk about feelings and hoping his friend would just drop the subject.

But this was James Rhodes. Tony should have known he wouldn't let it go.

"You just found out you have a super-powerful magical Artifact attached to you. I'd be freaking out if it was me."

Well, Rhodey _did_ know him, after all.

The thing was, Tony had always wondered if the gem – the Space Stone, he may as well get used to calling it that in his head – wasn't more powerful than everything believed it was. Sure, no one had done any sort of magical scanning on it, because Tony liked his privacy and hadn't wanted anyone to get that close to it – and there were all the trust issues inherent on letting anyone get that close – but he'd thought about it. Where the terrorists had gotten it from, how Yinsen had managed to get it to connect to Tony despite the fact that he didn't have a magical bone in his body. They'd never really know the answers to those questions, because the terrorists were dead, and Yinsen had been killed by those selfsame terrorists.

So, there was no way of knowing anything about the gem's origins.

He'd also thought about asking Ianto to check it out, but he'd never done it. Mainly because, as curious as he was about it, Tony had also been a little afraid to find out.

And, hello…trust issues again.

Well, he knew now.

And it was both better and worse than what he'd ever imagined.

"There's nothing I can do about it," he answered. "It's stuck to me for good." He tapped the stone through his work shirt. "It's a part of me now. Besides, the alternative for it being gone…well, the world would miss my particular brand of genius."

That answer had Rhodey rolling his eyes, but there was a grin on his face. "Gods forbid the world not have you in it, Tony."

He could tell his friend was completely serious under all that teasing, and it warmed something in Tony's chest that didn't have anything to do with the gemstone embedded in it. He really had the best friends ever.

"Well," he cleared his throat a little, not wanting to show how touched he was by what Rhodey had said, but failing miserably, "I need to get back to work on those actuators. They were a bit unsteady in flight when I have to use one of the hand repulsors…"

Rhodey huffed. "That's me told. I think I'll go and drill the rest of the Knights. They've been getting lazy."

Tony knew that was a bald-faced lie; Rhodey kept his cadre of Knights on their toes. There was no way in any of the hells that they'd be getting lazy. Still, he recognized the excuse when he heard it, so he flapped his hands toward the door. "We can't have that, can we? It makes the Barony look bad and the rivals think they have a chance at me."

"Not gonna happen on my watch." With that oath, Rhodey left the workshop.

Gods, the day Tony had appointed him as his Knights' Commander should have been made a Baronial holiday. Maybe he'd see about that.

"You've got a good bunch of people," Bruce observed, going to back to his notes.

Tony had to agree with that.

He turned back to his workbench, where the armor's left actuator was laying in pieces. Anyone else would have seen a mess, but Tony knew exactly what each piece did, and had set them down in the order of assemblage. He'd always had method to his particular brand of madness, it wasn't his fault that no one else could see that.

Well, Bruce apparently could. But Bruce was awesome that way.

He lost track of time amidst the little fiddly bits of metal and other materials. The parts practically sang to him, serenading him with their unity even though they were currently separated, sharing their secrets with him as he worked. Tony would never be able to explain exactly what this sort of work meant to him, how it _talked_ to him. It was his own brand of magic, one that wasn't based in universal forces but his own mind and heart, and the closest person who ever came to truly understanding it was Bruce. But then, Bruce had his own brand of genius, one that wasn't rooted in magic, and it took an amazing mind to theorize about magic when he didn't have any himself.

A soft hand on his shoulder brought him out of his work zone; he'd managed to get the actuator put back together better than before. He glanced up at Pepper, who was looking at him worriedly, Happy on her shoulders and her face a little paler than usual. Gods, Tony felt like such a shit when she had that sort of expression on his face, because it just hit home to him that he really didn't deserve her. That she was so much better than he was, that whatever he'd done to have her fall in love with him would never be enough.

Bruce had vanished. He hadn't even noticed him leave.

"Hey, Pep," he greeted her softly.

"Tony." Her fingers tightened slightly, then relaxed. "I've heard from Ianto, and he wanted me to ask you to still keep the existence of that," her free hand stroked down his shirt, just over the gemstone sealed to his skin, "a secret even if you're going to use it to power the armor."

Alright, he could see the sense in that. If the stone really was as powerful as Ianto had claimed, then putting it out there that his life currently depended on it would be a really bad idea. There were Wizards out there who wouldn't have minded getting their hands on it, and it wouldn't matter that removing it would kill him in the process.

See, for example: Hydra.

"He suggested you claim you invented a special power source," she continued, "and that I can claim to have helped if people notice the magical signature of the Space Stone. After all, every Wizard we meet would already assume that, because I would want to put all sorts of wards on you after the kidnapping. So it would only make sense that you'd have magic around you."

"Yeah, okay," he agreed. It was an easy thing to do. "I should probably get on that anyway. Something that small would be a boon to people who can't afford magical power generating shit anyway." He'd been working on smaller versions of the electrical generator that was currently taking up a lot of space down in what used to be the Castle dungeons, to make it available to the poorer areas of the country, but hadn't managed to get something that small working yet. Hells, he already had several Baronies lined up volunteering to test the generators when he had more working prototypes, which still amazed him. He'd believed he'd have a much harder time selling that to anyone.

The smile she gave him was small, but it was so full of love and trust that it made his damaged heart cramp. Gods, what had he done to deserve her? He really wished someone would let him know, so he wouldn't ever risk losing her by messing it all up.

He reached up and grasped the hand that was resting over the gemstone, squeezing gently. "Tell me to stop. If you tell me to stop, I'll put the armor away into the deepest storage area we have and never pull it out again."

Tony meant every word. He didn't want to worry or scare her; he'd already done enough of that. Which he would do if he put on that armor and fought whatever battles were coming up. Her happiness was too important to him than for him to risk his life by joining Fury's Avengers thing.

"I would never ask you that." Her expression was grateful, though. "You need to be able to protect people, and this is a way you can do that."

"I can find other ways."

"You could," she allowed, "and you have. Just look at everything you've accomplished. But, Tony… this is important to you. I can see that."

"Not as important as you." And he wasn't just saying that, either. Tony meant every word. He would give it all up in a heartbeat if Pepper asked.

And she knew it, too. "You _have_ to do this. You would never be able to just sit back and let others go out there and fight for your people."

Gods, Pepper was incredible. The day he died and ended up standing before the Gods to be judged for the acts of his life, he was going to admit that he couldn't have been the man he'd become without her.

Because she _understood_. She _knew_ him, inside and out. Knew just what this meant to him, and was willing to support him and encourage him, even when she was terrified for his safety.

Tony pulled her toward him and into a hug, and she accepted it, even though he was wearing ratty and oily work clothes and she hated getting dirty. Happy, who wasn't about to be let out of the loving, cooed and tucked himself around Tony's shoulders, his little face rubbing against his cheek.

"You know," he murmured into her stomach, "we really should get working on getting an heir to the Barony. If just to protect you or Rhodey from having to take over some day." He wanted nothing more than to have at least one child with her, one with his brilliance and her common sense.

She shook a little in laughter. "It's the middle of the day, Tony."

"So?" he craned his neck upward to look at her. "Tell Mini-Pepper that lessons are done for the day, and let's both shirk our responsibilities for a couple of hours."

Pepper's grey eyes were oh-so fond. "I've already sent her home. There wasn't getting anything done today after your little demonstration out in the garden."

"Sorry about that."

"No, you aren't."

He really wasn't. Pepper was right about that.

"No, I'm not," he admitted out loud. He rested his hands on her hips. "Wanna fool around, Mistress Pepper?"

"I don't know, Your Grace," she teased. "My husband is the jealous sort."

Yeah, that was true too. "He'll never find out. I'm really good at sneaking."

Pepper laughed. "You are the least sneaky person I have ever met, Tony Stark."

Well, she wasn't wrong about that, either.

"It's like you know me."

She laughed again, and Tony once again offered the usual prayer of thanks that she'd fallen in love with him, and accepted him, warts and all.

He just had to kiss her.

So he stood and did just that.


	44. Chapter 44

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto arrived home, feeling as if he'd run an obstacle course over the last half day. It had certainly been eventful, and that had been _before_ he'd gone into a panic about that damned spear.

He really should have foreseen that Phil would want to get it as far away from Loki as possible. After all, he'd most likely suffered the most from it, and Clint second, so Ianto should have guessed that Phil had been the one to 'steal' the thing from the Secure Archive. He hadn't, mainly because he'd believed that his friend had been too exhausted to do anything as toss the spear into the Void. It also hadn't occurred to him that Phil wouldn't have been able to heal completely while the tainted Void was being held within him, and it really should have. A part of him felt as if he'd somehow failed, but he really hadn't. Phil had done what was needed, for his own peace of mind as well as Clint's, even if Clint hadn't been happy about him going off on his own.

Ianto couldn't blame him in the slightest, because the Elf had some very valid concerns when it came to Phil's health.

They would work it out. Their bond was strong.

Sighing, he and Myfanwy made their way up to the main floor of the house, wishing Jack was there to greet him. He and his husband often spent time apart, what with Ianto's duties with the Guild and Jack's traveling with his team, and it never got any easier. They basically had eternity together, but that didn't make any difference. Ianto still missed Jack when he was gone, just as Jack missed him.

However, today the house wasn't empty.

Today, the man who'd once been known as the Winter Knight was in the kitchen, making himself a plate of cold beef and cheese and with a cup ready for the coffee that Ianto had left for him in the jug that would keep it warm…thanks to the Heating spell he'd put on it ages ago.

James was moving awkwardly, most likely because he suddenly had one arm and a lot less weight to carry around. He was lopsided, Ianto thought, and that threw off his balance.

His long hair was now clean, and it was practically floating around his head like a halo, with the dirt and grease that had been weighing it down gone. The pale blue shirt and tan trousers Ianto had laid out for him appeared to fit alright, and his feet were bare on the pale tiles of the kitchen floor.

"Find everything alright?" Ianto inquired, glad to see him up and around.

James must have known he was there, because he didn't react to the unexpected voice. "Yeah," he answered, chewing on a piece of cheese. The expression on his face was speaking volumes; it was as if he'd never had cheese before in his life, and was enjoying it immensely.

Or, he just didn't _remember_ ever eating cheese.

Myfanwy was by James' side in an instant, staring up at him imploringly and chirping to get his attention. With a rusty laugh, he fed the dragon a slice of meat, rubbing Myfanwy's head once she'd taken it daintily from his fingers. "I remember…I remember the dragons that Hydra had. None of them would get close to me, but at the time I didn't care because my brain was pretty well fried. Now, though…" he smiled faintly, "she just comes up to me like she trusts me."

"That's because Myfanwy is an excellent judge of character. You also have food."

Myfanwy huffed in indignation at the teasing, then leaned into James' side, cooing in pleasure. She had such an instinct for good people, and would always go up to anyone she liked. It didn't matter if she'd just met them, or had known them for years. Myfanwy _knew_ just who were good people, and who weren't.

"I'm also remembering other things." His pale eyes turned inward. "Glimpses. Of places…and people. I feel I should know them all, but my mind is blank." He stared at Ianto. "I can't be sure what sort of memories they are, but I've been having these flashes ever since I escaped Hydra. But they're getting stronger now. I'm guessing removing all the curses worked and I'm getting my memory back."

This was what Ianto had been hoping for, but hadn't been certain would occur. Removing all the curses – particularly the Forgetfulness curse – should have worked, but James had been under control for so very long, and there hadn't been any way to quantitatively calculate just what sort of effect being put into the Zero Cabinet would have added to the problem. Just the nature of the Cabinet alone could have cemented a lot of the spells into place despite them being removed; the Zero Cabinet put everything within it into stasis, never changing or withering, and that could have made a bigger mess than anyone could have taken into consideration.

"Let's sit down." Ianto calmly reached out and touched James on the shoulder. He leaned into it, which made the Wizard's heart ache for him. He was dead certain James hadn't been touched with any sort of compassion since he'd been lost to Hydra. "Why don't we take your lunch into the sitting room, where it's more comfortable."

James nodded, picking up the plate he'd made. Ianto quickly poured him a mug of coffee and followed with the cream and sugar, wanting to make sure James had a choice as to how he wanted it prepared. Choice was something Ianto was also certain he'd never been given.

He got his guest settled into one of the chairs, his plate and mug on a table Ianto pulled up beside James. Myfanwy, being her usual perceptive self, sat beside the former Winter Knight, her head on his knee, just giving him the comfort he so desperately wanted and needed.

Ianto took the other chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs, wanting to show that he was taking this seriously and listening intently. He didn't want James to think he was disregarding the confidences he may share.

He knew what he was hoping – that there would be some memory of Steve in there, so that he could go to his friend and tell him that James knew him in some small way. Giving James someone familiar could help; he was beginning to wish he'd contacted Andrew Garner at Shield Keep in order to get some advice on how to proceed. All Ianto had to go on were his own feelings and wishes, and he knew they weren't quite equal to the education that Andrew had had, even if the man was very much out of practice.

He supposed he could have also contacted Sam Wilson, but even Ianto knew that would have been a major conflict of interest in this situation.

"I remember…falling," James began, his voice faint and mostly disengaged. Ianto would have been concerned if not for the intense expression that darkened his eyes. "I think that was how I died…or would have died, if I hadn't been found. I have no idea who found me, only that Hydra got their hands on me at some point. It's…just images. A lot of them I don't know what they mean."

"Don't force it," Ianto suggested. "It will come when it's time."

"A part of me doesn't _want_ to remember," James admitted. "But then, another part does. Because I feel like I've lost something, or someone, and I need to know that." He looked stricken. "It's almost like one half of my soul is gone, and I need to get it back."

Ianto was shaken. Could it be? Had there been some sort of soul bond between Steve and James? Yes, magic had been cut off from the world, but there had been tiny pockets of it, squeezing through the cracks in the spell that Master John had cast, so it was possible that there had been something like that between the two. It would also explain why Steve had gone a little crazy when he'd thought James was dead; at least, that was how Steve had put it, when he'd talked about those events, trying to explain how important his Bucky had been to him.

"Have you had anything about this person or thing come back to you?" Ianto didn't want to push, but he had to know, for both James and Steve's sakes.

James looked pensive. "I think it's definitely a person. I keep getting flashes of blond hair, and blue eyes. It's a man, I know that, but I can't recall his name or how I know him!" His voice rose in frustration. "It's just there, on the tip of my mind!" The fingers of his remaining hand tapped hard against this forehead. "It's like it wants to come out, but it just keeps hiding."

"James," Ianto's heart went out to his charge, "it's possible that the reason it's not coming back because Hydra worked the hardest to get that person out of your head. If he was as important to you as you believe, then…" He shrugged. "You see my point."

"Yeah. I do." The man sighed. "I want him back, Ianto. I don't know who he is, or even if he's still alive, but I want him back."

In that moment, Ianto decided to take a chance. Perhaps it was the romantic in him, or something else entirely, but he desperately wanted both James and Steve to have their happy ending. And, with the curses removed, he wouldn't have to worry as much about being able to handle a bad reaction.

"His name," Ianto began, "is Steve Rogers. He was your best friend since childhood." He didn't add that he suspected it went much further than that, at least on Steve's part, because that part of it really wasn't his to tell and, besides, if James hadn't felt the same way it would just lead to heartbreak on both sides. "You even went to war together, and that was where he lost you. When he did, he lost himself in a way, and ended up going into a situation that, well, didn't go so well for him."

James slumped. "So, it's been three hundred years. And he's gone."

"No, he isn't." He went on to explain about the Skull, and the Artifact known as the Tesseract, and how Steve had spent the intervening years trapped within the Void before being pulled out of it. "He's here, and he's waiting to see you. As a matter of fact, he was here when we removed the curses, but he was hidden because we couldn't be sure how you would react to his presence until the curses were gone."

As he'd talked James had gone paler and paler, until he sat there, resembling some sort of ghost. And yet, there was such hope in his eyes, that there was something left of his former life, and he didn't want to believe it but he had to because it was Ianto telling him so it had to be the truth.

Ianto wasn't sure how he'd earned James' loyalty like that. He understood how Phil had; that had been evident during the curse breaking that James had suddenly thrown his life into Phil's after he'd pulled all that tainted Void out of him. After Phil had done that, removing the curses had been much simpler. It hadn't even tired him out this morning when he'd got the rest of them done, and it seemed as if James was missing the worst of the withdrawal symptoms that Ianto had been afraid he'd have to face. Things had gone incredibly well, and his new friend would be able to now live his own life once more.

"I can send for him if you wish." He was pretty sure he knew exactly what James was going to say, so when he did, it wasn't a surprise.

"Yes. Please."


	45. Chapter 45

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Loki hated waiting, even when he saw the need for it.

And so, he found himself exploring the valley he had found himself in.

He _really_ wanted to know the source of the reality warping magic that protected the valley from prying eyes. Having seen the wild nature of Jiaying's magic, Loki knew that whatever spell or Artifact it was, it had not been of Jiaying's manufacture. She must have discovered something that she had been able to utilize, and it was what was making the valley practically impossible to plot. He'd heard of UnPlotable spells – if Hale was correct, then the Dark One had cast one upon his very abode, which was why no one could simply Scry for his location and then Teleport there – yet this was evidently something quite different. Loki was more of a bent that this was an Artifact and not an actual spell, so it should have been somewhere within the village itself and not in the mountains beyond.

The problem with finding it was that its magical signature cloaked the entire village. It made pinpointing the source of the magic extremely difficult as it seemed as if it was as obscured as the valley itself.

And so, Loki took to prowling about, searching for the magic physically, his curiosity piqued beyond his ability to rein it in.

He had taken to walking every day, and that had shown Loki the boundaries of the reality warp. He had been able to walk the circumference of it, simply by letting his magical senses be open to the magic and following where the edge of the barrier was. Loki had found that keeping one side of his body within the circle and the other out was the best way to map the edge; he could not always do that, when the curtain merged with the sides of mountains or some such, and Loki had never claimed to have been any sort of goat that would have made him even vaguely comfortable with climbing mountains or fording streams. When a natural block in his path occurred, he would simply take up the search on the other side of whatever barrier he came across, scanning the path until he could once again detect the actual edge of the shield.

After he accomplished that, he had to assume that the source was in the direct center of the village.

Which turned out to be a round, weather-worn boulder.

It was glittering black, with veins of red crystal shot through it, and Loki was bothered that it had not pinged his magical senses the first moment he had noticed it. Loki had passed this way many times in the weeks he had taken up residence, and yet there had been nothing to make this Artifact obvious to him as the seat of the power protecting the valley. Either his magicks had failed him, or else this stone was cloaked in such a way that made it impossible to realize that it was more than it had seemed.

It looked as if it had grown up where it lay, and no one had built anything nearby, leaving it standing alone in the middle of a man-made clearing. It seemed quite innocuous, a ring of bare dirt about the base, grass growing only once it was several handspans away from the stone, as if nothing would thrive any closer to it. It was as if the Artifact was screaming that it was magical, and yet no one was paying even the slightest attention.

Very odd indeed.

He had taken a step toward it, with the idea of scanning it more closely, when a voice called out, "I wouldn't get closer."

Loki spun on his heel, surprised at the interruption. It was a boy child, with sallow skin and black hair shaved closely to his skull, dark eyes far too wise for someone so young; Loki thought that, perhaps, he may have originated from one of the Eastern Empires. If he had to guess, the Wizard would have put the boy at his teen years, his clothes baggy and obviously handed down from someone older and yet they did nothing to detract from the odd dignity he seemed to carry about with him. He did not have a dragon, which was unusual considering this was a Wizarding enclave.

Standing beside him was a brown-haired boy, perhaps a little younger, with tanned skin and pale eyes that were also impossibly old. His dark clothing was almost fastidiously clean, if also threadbare, and he turned toward the older boy and made several hand gestures that Loki realized were his way of communicating. This youngster had to have been mute; there were ways of speaking that did not need verbal speech, and this was apparently one of them. His long fingers were graceful as they moved, carrying on a conversation with his companion. He, himself, had a dragon, sleekly black with silver patterns on the scales, almost like miniature lightning bolts.

Sleipnir, Loki's own dragon, seemed somewhat fascinated by this newcomer. Loki, taking his dragon's lead, looked at both with his magical sight, wanting to know more about them.

The older boy was no Wizard. That was not overly surprisingly as there was that conspicuous lack of dragon, and Loki surmised he was most likely a relative to someone in the village, which would have explained his presence there.

The younger, though, was Void. And, from what Loki could tell, quite powerful.

"Pardon me?" Loki interrupted, going for polite instead of demanding. He had learned that most of the children here were less likely to attempt to curse him with their uneducated forms of magic if he was nice to them.

The older looked away from his mute friend. "I said, I wouldn't get any closer."

"And why is that, young one?"

The older huffed, while the younger rolled his eyes. "I'm not magical, and even I can feel that stone is bad news."

"Ah, but perhaps I enjoy the notion of living dangerously."

Loki observed the younger shake his head, his expression disgusted. It was a surprisingly adult expression on his young face.

"Suit yourself," the elder shrugged. "But don't say we didn't warn you."

With that, both boys turned and walked away, leaving Loki very surprised indeed.

And very intrigued at the nature of the stone.

Taking a step closer, Loki once again opened his magical senses, this time scanning the odd stone. Strangely, there seemed to be very little magic about it, most of it concentrated within the ruby crystal that was shot through the obsidian rock. Frowning, he could not see how such a low powered source could have been powering the reality twisting barrier about the valley; it made no sense. Honestly, if he had not been searching for the source of the magic, he would not have given the stone a second glance.

Which, given how many times he had passed the stone, was quite true indeed. He had paid no attention to it whatsoever. Loki had to wonder if that was part of its magic, as well as warping reality around the valley; to cause anyone to disregard it, despite the evidence that it was, in fact a powerful magical Artifact.

Loki had done the very same thing. So _that_ had most certainly worked.

"You can see it, can't you." It was not a question.

Loki glanced over his shoulder at Novice Ruby, her cherubic face knowing as she watched him, her arms crossed over her chest as if daring him to deny what she was saying. Her dark eyes were forthright as she regarded him, and her purple and green dragon, Mal, was chuckling as it sat next to her. Loki was irked by her, and yet hid it behind a sly smile. "I see a great many things." It was neither a denial nor confirmation, as he wished her to tell him about the stone and did not want to give away his own ignorance of the Artifact.

To be honest, Ruby Hale irritated him. She was not fully sane, Loki was certain, and had fully taken to the Hydra philosophy. The first time he had become acquainted with her, Novice Ruby had claimed to have had some form of destiny as a being known as the Destroyer of Worlds, which Loki had found self-aggrandizing and not within the realm of reality. Her magic was not that strong, either, although it was certainly interesting; it was Void, and yet there was a taint about it that Loki could not identify. It was not like the tainted Deep Ways of Mistress Jiaying, however. This was different, and disturbing on many levels. Loki found himself sometimes unable to even glance in her direction, and yet the Wizard was unwilling to make his disquiet known.

Her lips quirked upward in a pleased grin, her eyes glittering with humor. "You never say anything clearly if you can be mysterious about it."

Loki sketched a mocking bow. "I do what I can."

In many ways, Ruby Hale had a more discerning nature than her mother. The Novice saw things in a much different way, and Loki would need to take care in not giving things away in front of her. If not for her obsession with this so-called destiny of hers, Loki might have even considered her a valued ally.

Her smile faded. "The stone. It doesn't belong in this world."

Well, now that was not a conclusion he had yet had time to draw. He was not going to share that with her, however. "Many magical Artifacts have that feel about them, in my not-inconsiderable experience."

One pale eyebrow rose. "You experienced a lot of Artifacts while you were in prison?"

Touché.

"I was not always a prisoner," he pointed out to her, not letting her needle him. "There are many such Artifacts in the Archive at the royal palace in Asgard, and I had much access to them, in my position as a Prince of the Royal Line." Odin had held the actual keys to the Archive; however, that had not stopped Loki from gaining entrance once he was able to work out how the magical locks worked. Frigga had caught onto his trespass fairly quickly, but she was Frigga and a powerful Wizard in her own right, and had been responsible for the creating of the wards and charms about the Archive itself. She had also wrought the locks as well, and it had been a simple matter for her to read them and see that someone had gained unauthorized entry.

Frigga had actually been proud of him for his ability to slip into places he had not been allowed access to. That knowledge had been what had led to his long imprisonment. Frigga had known his tricks, and had been able to plan for them when enchanting the cell he had been kept in for so many years.

Ruby shrugged, accepting his words. "I haven't been around that many myself," she admitted, "but that thing makes me shiver. It doesn't belong in this world, and not in a basic, magical way. It's like it wasn't made here in the first place, and I can't explain it better than that."

This was, perhaps, the most adult conversation he had yet to have with the Novice…not that he had had that many conversations of any sort with her before this. However, this was different, and Ruby Hale was being completely serious about her impressions of the boulder.

Loki decided that he would listen.

Turning back to the boulder, he once again let his magical sight free, examining the stone in all its glory. There was not much of it; the Artifact stayed decidedly less powerful, hiding its true nature beneath its apparent weakness. And yet, there was something about it, and he had to concur with Novice Ruby that, indeed, this was not of this world. He could not say what that _was_, it was simply a sensation that niggled at him. That stone did not belong there.

It fascinated Loki in a way that only the stone in his spear had ever done.

And then it struck him – this stone had been enchanted by the same person that had created the gemstone that he had had inset into the hilt of that spear.

There were certain similar frequencies to it, and yet the boulder was not the same at all. The more he regarded the Artifact, Loki came to realize that it was the crystal _within_ the boulder that was the magical part of it; somehow, it had been _melted_ into the stone, flowing along the natural faults in the rock itself, and Loki had to wonder just what the cause of that had been melting. Crystals were hardy things, magical crystals doubly so, and it would have taken immense temperatures in order to cause such a thing.

Something, perhaps, like a dragon's flame.

Every dragon had its own form of breath weapon, although fire was the most common. Sleipnir, himself, spit a form of venom that could melt stone, but his dragon was most unusual in that aspect. Dragonfire itself burned hotter than any other natural flame, and there were dragons who had even more energetic flames than others. For example, he knew for a fact that Grand Master Ianto Jones' dragon, Myfanwy, had a fire drake form, and that made the dragon's flame all that hotter.

A dragon could have conceivably melted that crystal and imbedded it within its new home.

"How did Mistress Jiayang find it, let alone tap into its power?" he inquired.

"No idea," Novice Ruby admitted. "Mom's tried to get her to talk about it, but she won't."

That…did not surprise Loki in the least.

"It hides itself," he mused. "There is nothing about the Artifact itself that makes its claim to its abilities."

"Yeah. Mom doesn't know how Jiaying got it to work, but she did. Mom's tried to figure it out herself, because this sort of thing would really help us, but nothing so far has worked."

Loki wanted to make a snide comment about that; however, he refrained. He held no respect for Mistress Catherine's abilities. Yes, she had released him from his prison, but it had been another Wizard, Daniel Whitehall, who had discovered the original path into Asgard that would have kept Frigga, Odin, and even Heimdall, who saw all, from spying his intrusion.

Although, Loki had also figured out how to confound Heimdall's magical sight, so it was much easier than anyone could have suspected.

No, Catherine Hale would not have been able to use the crystal. Not with her negligible magical power.

However, Loki had been able to utilize the stone of his spear to control those around him. He had no doubt that he would be able to do the same with this Artifact.

Without hesitation, he reached out to touch one of the lines of crystal.


	46. Chapter 46

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy arrived home after her abortive training session with Pepper, sighing as she found herself in Dad's casting chamber.

She would have considered today a waste of time, if not for Baron Tony's display. There'd been no way anything was getting done after that.

Then there had been Ianto's revelations about the stone. Daisy hadn't sensed anything like that from it, and she'd been in Tony's company so many times over the years she'd been Pepper's Novice…she didn't understand how that could have been, if the Artifact had always been _that_ powerful. But then, Ianto had admitted as much, that he hadn't noticed, either. Which seemed crazy, because he was so powerful and knew that sort of shit. The stone must have been really something amazing to hide its true nature like that.

If what Ianto had described was accurate – and she had no reason to suspect he was exaggerating, because this was Ianto Jones and Ianto Jones didn't do exaggeration – then Daisy really wished she could have experienced all that awesomeness for herself.

Even though it scared her as well, just a little bit. Because that stone was apparently related to the stone set in Loki's spear, and that had been the weapon that had killed her Dad the first time and had enslaved Clint to Loki's will. That thought sent a shiver down her spine as she made her way up the stairs, Skye cooing in her ear as the dragon sensed Daisy's emotional distress. She reached up and skritched her friend on the chin, and getting a pleased hum in response.

Once she reached the main floor of the Keep, Daisy threw her senses outward, looking for Dad or Crystal or whoever she could locate. Dad's more powerful magical signature wasn't close by; she thought he must have been out in the valley somewhere and if he hadn't been practically brimming with Void she wouldn't have felt him at all.

Crystal's weaker aura was upstairs, so the young Wizard headed up, knowing that her sister would most likely be with Clint, or Andrew or Melinda, and whoever was there would know where Dad had taken off to and why.

She found Crystal sitting next to Andrew at the small desk that Dad had had set up in the little girl's room, her tongue protruding from between her lips as she focused on the piece of paper in front of her, her hand laboriously writing something down. Andrew was encouraging her, and as Daisy watched from where she was standing in the doorway, he pointed something out to her and Crystal nodded seriously.

Lockjaw was the first one to notice her presence. The dragon chirped a greeting from where he was curled up on the bed, then launched himself at Daisy, colliding with her legs in a rush to hug her. Daisy laughed, reaching down and scratching the base of Lockjaw's odd forked horn, grinning at his pleasure at seeing her.

"Daisy!" Crystal exclaimed happily. She was out of her chair and hugging from the opposite side as Lockjaw. "I didn't think you'd be back so soon!"

Daisy couldn't help but laugh joyfully. She'd always wanted a sister, and she finally had one. It was amazing. "I didn't think so, either."

Andrew had one eyebrow raised. "Did it have something to do with Ianto showing up here earlier?"

"Yeah, probably." Although why Ianto would have come here, when he'd been adamant about going to the Archive and checking out the spear, was beyond her. She'd have to find out from Dad. "Where's Dad and Clint?"

"There was…a disagreement." She could tell Andrew wasn't going to elaborate, not in front of Crystal. "They're clearing the air now."

From the tone of his voice, Daisy guessed they were having make-up sex. But they weren't in the Keep…she blushed suddenly, figuring out that they must have been out in the woods, doing whatever they did. Outdoor sex was something she'd never even _considered_ her Dad being up to, and now she'd never be able to get the idea out of her head!

And Andrew didn't look at all sorry for planting it, either.

She narrowed her eyes at him and, while he didn't come right out and laugh, his dark eyes were sparkling with all that repressed teasing.

"Doctor Andrew is teaching me my name!" Crystal's excitement cut across Daisy's own embarrassment.

"Really?" she turned her eyes back down to her little sister. "Can you show me?"

Crystal grabbed her by the hand and practically dragged her over to the desk, where she'd been working. There were several used sheets of paper, all of them with alphabet letters on them, and in front of the chair was the one Crystal had been writing on.

Scribbled across the page was the name, 'Crystal Barton-Coulson', in large, scrawling letters, and it looked as if she'd been practicing for a while now.

"Wow," Daisy congratulated her. "You're doing great."

Crystal beamed at the praise. "Doctor Andrew told me I can learn all my letters before going off to school."

"And she's doing very well," Andrew said.

Daisy wished that Andrew had been the one to teach her as well, instead of having been schooled by the orphanages she'd been in. That education had been a haphazard affair, and she'd had to learn things all over again once she'd been adopted. Even today, her handwriting wasn't the best, and she knew she could put the blame on the system for that. It sometimes affected her rune work, but Dad had helped her so much, until her runes were nearly perfect. She'd also gotten help from Trip, who was awesome at runes, and none of her friends had ever made fun of her for it.

"Can you show me what your name looks like?" Crystal's puppy eyes really were deadly.

"Sure." Daisy took the pencil that her sister had been using, and wrote, 'Daisy Coulson', just under Crystal's own name.

"Can you tell me what the letters are?" Andrew prompted encouragingly.

Crystal pointed as she spelled. "D-A-I-S-Y. C-O-U-L-S-O-N." Then she frowned. "But Daisy, you're name isn't like mine."

"That's right, because I'm Daisy and not Crystal, silly." She ruffled her sister's hair as she chuckled.

"But, I'm Crystal Barton-Coulson," she pointed out, "and you're Daisy Coulson. Why aren't you Daisy Barton-Coulson, like me?"

Daisy blinked. That had never occurred to her, and she didn't know how to answer without confusing her. "Dad adopted me first," she tried to explain.

"Your Daddy hasn't always been here," Andrew said gently. "We talked about it, remember?"

Crystal nodded slowly. "That Dad and Daddy hadn't always been together."

"That's right."

"But they are now, right? And Daddy adopted Daisy, too! So, why doesn't she have the same name I do now?"

She…had a point. How was Daisy going to explain that it just hadn't been something she'd considered? Sure, she was trying to figure out what to call Clint, now that he was officially her second father, but Dad had already been taken and Daddy didn't feel right. She'd been Daisy Coulson for so long, changing it…well, she couldn't think of a valid reason why she shouldn't.

Andrew was watching her knowingly, as if he could read her mind or something. He gave her a small nod, acknowledging her confusion. "Daisy just hasn't changed it yet," he told her.

Which was true, but adding Barton to her surname, when she'd always been Daisy Coulson, just wasn't a thought that had crossed her mind. Neither Dad nor Clint had mentioned it, either. Now she was wondering if they hadn't because they hadn't wanted to pressure her. She could understand if that was the case.

Daisy was aware that any child they might decide to have together – and yes, she knew about that ring, and totally approved even though it was going to be really weird seeing either of them pregnant – would also carry the Barton-Coulson name, and there was a chance that Dad and Clint would hyphenate their own names once they finally got married. Jack and Ianto hadn't, though, so maybe it was something men didn't do? To be honest, she really didn't have a lot of experience to fall back on.

For the longest time, Daisy had been proud to be the one to carry on the family name, to redeem it from the asshole grandparents who'd treated Dad like trash. Dad had once offered to tell her where they were, but Daisy had refused to hear it. She would have most likely cursed both grandparents for what they'd done, all the while secretly happy that things had turned out the way they had, because of Grandmother and Grandfather Coulson hadn't done what they had to their only son, Daisy would never have found the one person who'd loved her so much that they'd been willing to change their entire lives for her. Daisy had never once, before that alley, considered herself worthy of that sort of thing, and all it had taken was one man, covered with blood and confused about what had happened to him, stumbling upon her and taking her away from the warzone she'd inadvertently found herself in.

But now, she'd gained a second name, and shouldn't she be proud enough to wear that one, too? Clint Barton had accepted her, had been worried that she wouldn't do the same…and yes, she'd figured that out pretty quickly, and about how surprised he'd been when she'd accepted him in turn. How touched he'd been when she'd excited to have him adopt her as well, to sign the papers that Dad had signed over eleven years ago, officially making her his daughter as well.

Daisy didn't think she could have loved Clint as much, though, if she hadn't seen with her own eyes that he loved her Dad the way that Dad deserved. That single act made the young Wizard adore her new Dad more than she'd thought possible.

And she knew Clint would have stepped aside if Daisy had asked him to.

Not that she ever would. Because it was so very obvious that he adored Dad with everything within him. And she hadn't needed to see any sort of soul bond to understand _that_.

It also meant that she wouldn't ever get tired of letting Dad know just how disappointed she was in him for not contacting Clint and bringing him home long before he eventually did.

Without giving it another thought, Daisy leaned over and scribbled out the name she'd written first, and changed it.

Daisy Barton-Coulson.

Yes, she rather liked that.

It was almost as if something she'd been missing had been returned to her with the acknowledgement that she did really have two parents now, instead of just the one.

Crystal squealed and threw her arms around Daisy's middle. "We really are sisters now!"

Andrew was nodding approvingly. "Well done."

She found herself blushing a little. "It was time."

"Yes, it was."

Daisy didn't know what to say about that, because he was correct. Although, she could hardly be blamed for Dad not having Clint around a long time ago.

She was just about to agree with Andrew out loud, but the single tone of her speaking stone sounded over Crystal's happy laughter.

The young Wizard disentangled herself from Crystal just enough to fish the stone out of her pocket. It was her family stone, and not the one that she'd made that linked her to her friends; that one had been given to Medusa and she hadn't had time to replace it yet. She'd have to do that, but for the time being at least anyone could call her if they needed to.

_"__Daisy," _it was Jemma's voice, and she sounded upset.

"What's wrong?" Her heartbeat jumping, Daisy prayed that none of her friends had been hurt or were in trouble.

_"__Medusa called me. She's in the Headmaster's office…they say she was caught fighting."_


	47. Chapter 47

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve Teleported to Ianto's house.

The moment Ianto had called, Steve had known something was going on. His first thought was that there was a problem, and he'd steeled himself to hear the bad news.

But, Bucky wanted to see him.

Steve hadn't realized there'd been a weight on his chest until it was suddenly gone.

Ianto had cautioned him, that Buck still didn't really remember much. However, he'd had flashes of Steve, had figured out that the person he'd been getting glimpses of in his destroyed memory had been important.

Bucky wanted to speak to him.

He tried so hard not to get his hopes up. He knew there might be a chance that Buck never would remember him fully. But Steve was willing to do anything to get the man he'd loved back, and if that meant making new memories then that was what he would do.

The Grand Master had allowed Steve to Teleport directly into the house and, recognizing the casting chamber where they'd been removing all those curses from Bucky – and Steve would never _not_ be grateful to Phil for putting himself on the line in order to take all that Void magic away and hurting himself in the process, just to try to save a stranger's life – so he knew the way out and up into the main areas of the house Ianto and Jack shared in Gateway. He was out the door and taking the stairs three at a time, bursting out into the main house and seeing Ianto waiting for him in the hall, Myfanwy by his side.

"Steve," the Wizard welcomed him with a smile as the dragon demanded her due of attention. Steve didn't mind; Myfanwy was amazing and he was quickly on his way to loving her. "He's in the sitting room. I got the rest of the curses removed this morning, and it seems to have unblocked a few small memories. He doesn't remember much of anything at the moment, but if he's recalling you, if only a little…I have hope he may make a near-full recovery."

"I will never know how I can thank all of you for this." Steve didn't even bother to hide how choked up he was. Myfanwy cooed and leaned into him, lending him comfort.

"He's not there yet," Ianto warned. "Just be patient and answer all of his questions. He'll have more than a few." He rested a hand on Steve's shoulder. "I only want what's best for both of you. If you need anything, all you have to do is call out and I'll be there."

"Thanks." Yeah, he was really choked up now. All of these people had gone out of their way to help him, and now to help Bucky, and he could spend the rest of his life repaying this and not make even the smallest dent in the debt he owed.

"You're quite welcome."

With that, Steve stepped up to the sitting room's doorway. He found himself paralyzed, though, as he caught sight of Bucky sitting in a chair near the fireplace, looking so much better than he had yesterday when Steve had had to act as a bystander to the drama that had unfolded during the curse breaking.

He was a lot less pale and stressed today than he'd been yesterday. He'd had a bath, his long hair sleek and pulled back from his face by a leather thong, revealing the cheekbones and jaw of that beloved profile. Ianto must have lent him some of Jack's clothing; Steve recognized the style of work shirt and trousers, but Bucky's feet were bare, making him seem even more vulnerable than he already did.

One sleeve of the blue shirt was empty, hanging down from the shoulder limply. It looked strange, but not like that damned metal arm had. Steve thought he could handle the missing arm better than knowing there'd been something cursed attached to his best friend.

Bucky turned toward him, his pale eyes scrutinizing Steve closely, as if comparing the person physically standing there with the images he'd had in his head…which he most likely was. Steve stood there and let him look his fill; it wasn't as if Steve wasn't doing the same thing, after all. He'd thought he'd never see Bucky again, so this was like getting a second chance at happiness.

He supposed that was exactly what it was.

"Ianto says your name is Steve," Bucky finally spoke. His voice was soft, not like the boisterous tone he'd had back before the war. It was as if he didn't quite grasp using his words anymore, which Steve had to admit to himself was most likely true. Hydra had kept him as a slave, and Steve doubted that a lot of speaking had had anything to do with it.

"That's right." Steve stepped into the room, slowly, carefully, not wanting to startle his friend. He took a chair nearby, settling in to do just what Ianto had asked of him: to answer any questions Bucky might have. "And I would call you Bucky."

Buck cocked his head to the side. "Really? Where did that come from?"

"Your full name. It's James Buchanan Barnes. I've called you Bucky since we were kids."

He nodded, accepting what Steve had just told him. "I've been getting flashes of your face. It's not enough to tell me who you are, but I know…you were important to me. I'm sorry…"

Steve forced his sadness and pain down deep, not wanting to upset him anymore than he already was. "No, no need to apologize. You got cursed. You can't help it."

In that moment, the idea of tracking down everyone who'd hurt Bucky and beating the shit out of them sounded like a lot of fun. It was too bad that they were all either dead or in custody, except for the Hales, and Steve didn't have any idea where the mother and daughter were or else he'd be hunting them down as well. What they'd done to Bucky had been sheer evil, and then keeping him prisoner in a box that hadn't allowed him to age naturally…only taking him out when they'd needed him for some sort of assassination or sabotage…no, that was _wrong_, and there had to have been a special place in the lowermost hell for them and he hoped they _hated_ the experience.

"Can you…can you tell me about myself? I…can't remember my own life." There was a flash of anger in his eyes, which Steve knew wasn't aimed at him, but at the bastards who'd tortured him.

And so, Steve did.

He told Bucky all about James Buchanan Barnes. About where he'd been born; about his family; and about how he'd found a ten-year-old Steve being beaten up because he'd dared to step in when the three older kids had been picking on a little girl. How they'd become fast friends, Bucky getting him out of so many scrapes Steve had lost count, and how they'd bonded over their mutual dislike of bullies.

Bucky laughed in places, and once he'd even filled in a little detail of the encounter Steve had been describing, surprising himself when he did so. It also gave Steve hope that, someday, his friend's memory would return, at least for the most part.

"You were sick…?" Bucky asked at one point.

"Yeah, I was. You didn't meet me until later, but I was a really sickly baby. There was a lot of doubt I'd even survive to my first Naming Day."

Bucky nodded slowly. "I get these…quick images…and they contradict each other sometimes. Some are of you as a kid, and you were a scrawny punk who couldn't keep his mouth shut."

Steve had to laugh at that, because it was so very true.

"And then there's you like this." He waved at Steve, indicating his current physique. "I can't see anything in between."

"It'll come to you," Steve answered confidently. "After all, you were the one who was responsible for me getting healthy. You did everything you could, even researching magic and potions and such. It also helped that I turned sixteen and gained about a third more height."

"I really wish I could remember." He sounded wistful.

Steve couldn't have stopped himself if he tried; he reached across and took Bucky's only remaining hand in his. "It'll come, just don't force it. And I'll be around to remind you of anything you want."

Bucky gave a wan smile. "Thanks. I know you want to get your friend back…"

"I won't lie. Yes, I would. But, if I can't, then we can start all over. I do like to think we could be friends again." And maybe more, a traitorous, tiny voice whispered his greatest wish into the back of his mind. He wasn't going to push for that. Before, he and Buck had only been friends; best friends, yes, but nothing more than that. Bucky had never shown any interest in anything other than that, and Steve had respected that. He'd even moved on, in a way, with Peggy, and Steve would have been perfectly happy with her even though she would never have been the true love of his life.

"We're gonna get through this, Buck," he swore. They were both in a time they weren't familiar with, only Bucky had the excuse of not remembering anything that could keep him from being completely overwhelmed by all the new stuff that Steve had seen. Only Sam understood how confusing so many things were for Steve, even those that had remained pretty much the same over the centuries he'd been gone.

"Yeah, maybe." He didn't sound overly convinced.

"We have a lot of people in our corner," Steve asserted. "The Grand Masters, Daisy, Jack, others… we're not alone in this. Which is great, because I can't imagine having to deal with this century all on my own." He would ask Sam to speak to Bucky, as well; Sam was busily being invaluable to Steve himself in helping him assimilate into this century. He was also fantastic as listening. Steve had ranted his ears off many a time.

"And, when you're ready," he went on, "you can come and stay with me in Triskelia. That is, if you want. I don't want to assume…" He was suddenly embarrassed by the offer.

"No, maybe I will." Bucky's smile turned a little more genuine, a little more genuine. "After all, you're the only one who remembers me from…before."

"Well, Jack does," Steve allowed, "but not as well as I do."

"He's on some sort of mission, from what Ianto's said –"

There was the sudden, sharp sound of a door slamming open, and Steve was on his feet and standing in front of Bucky, ready to defend him and wishing for his sword when Jack's familiar voice shouted for Ianto, echoing down the hall from what had to have been the casting chamber door. Steve immediately didn't care for the tone of that shout, and was striding toward the sitting room archway before he could even think the words, _speak of the demon and he shall appear._

Jack was standing in the hallway, his cloak still swirling around his calves from the sudden movement he must have made when coming up into the hallway from the stairs. The expression on his face…Steve might not have known him for long, but he could certainly tell he was worried about something.

Ianto came out of his study, Myfanwy following close behind. "What is it?"

Steve stepped out into the hallway, and Jack glanced in his direction, eyes widening slightly in surprise and then darting to glance over Steve's shoulder, and he knew that Bucky had followed him.

Then Jack's attention was back on his husband. "Something's going to happen," he spoke loud enough for them all to hear. "We need to talk."


	48. Chapter 48

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil stretched languidly, feeling pleasantly sore and fairly sure he'd rolled through an anthill at some point, but not caring about that in the slightest.

He'd never been so brazen enough to make love out in the open, but he honestly felt that Clint could talk him into it again at some point. And it wasn't as if he couldn't hide them with his magic if need be.

Turning his head, he could make out Clint's profile, lying in the grass beside him, a sappy smile on his face. Gods, what had he done to deserve this man? Phil loved him more than almost anything – only Daisy and Crystal ranked higher in his life – and had done for a very long time. Never had he believed he would ever get _this_, someone who loved him despite knowing what he'd done in the past, forgiving him for all the death and destruction that had followed in the wake of the Dark One and his rampages.

Someone who was willing to raise his daughters with him, and to someday give him a child of their own. How had he gotten so lucky? He just didn't understand it.

Yes, there were still the curse of his near-immortality. But Phil understood he couldn't exist for the future, but only live in the present. Borrowing pain and sorrow would only make it worse when the time came to lose his family, and Phil didn't want to taint the time he had with them with that sort of emotional agony.

Phil turned onto his side, curling up to put his head on Clint's chest, listening to his heart beating under his ear. Clint's arm came up to pull him closer, wrapping around his shoulders, and his chest rose and fell as his lover sighed in contentment.

"Make-up sex is awesome," the Elf murmured, "but I'd rather not do that again for a while."

"Agreed." Phil had come to realize that he absolutely _hated_ fighting with Clint, even when he deserved to be yelled at. "And I'm sorry I didn't at least tell you where I was going."

"Just don't do that again, either. We're in this together, Phil. I understand you'll have secrets because of being the Grand Master and all, but this was something we could have shared."

"The habits of nearly a lifetime…" He knew it wasn't an excuse, that he would have to work as hard at putting that behind him like he had so much else, but he would do it for this man.

Clint huffed. "If anyone gets that, it's me. Just keep me in the loop next time, alright?"

"I can't promise that, but I'll try."

"And that's all I can ask for."

They lay there for a little bit, just enjoying the peace. Through his link with Lola, Phil could sense her utter contentment as well; he glanced toward where she and Lucky were curled up, also happy with being together, although not in the same way as their companions were. As far as Phil knew, dragons weren't sexual creatures, and as they all came from the One Mother, the Queen of Air and Fire, they were all brothers and sisters, so there would be no couplings between them in that way. That didn't mean that they couldn't connect with each other, and that was what Lucky and Lola had done, being as compatible with each other as they were with their companions.

But then, he and Clint shared a soul bond.

It was amazing and terrifying at the same time.

Back when he'd been the Dark One, such a thing would never have happened, Phil was certain. It wasn't a case of not deserving it; far from it, although at the time he'd believed himself totally undeserving of all the good things in life, like love and family. No, he wouldn't have been _mature_ enough to handle such a thing because, really, much of his attitude back then had been rooted in the childhood hurts he'd suffered at the hands of his parents, and he hadn't really grown until he'd gained the responsibility of a child and the need to make his life something other than what it had been.

That it was with Clint made it perfect.

He was afraid, though, that such a bond would make it impossible to cope once he finally lost Clint. However, he'd deal with that when the time came…and may it be thousands of years in the future.

"Gold coin for your thoughts?" Clint murmured, his hand stroking softly along Phil's side. It was a good thing he wasn't ticklish.

"They aren't really worth that much." He propped himself up on his elbow, so he could look down on his lover, meeting his eyes squarely. "Although, I think this would be the perfect time for me to formally ask you to marry me."

Clint's eyes widened, and he grinned as if he'd been given all of his Naming Day presents at one time. "Not how I thought you'd ask."

"Well, I'd planned on dinner and dancing and all that romantic stuff." He'd also planned on roping Daisy in to help, but he figured she'd understand why he hadn't. He could get her to help with the actual wedding. That would please her. And she would have Crystal as an assistant. "But I figure naked in a clearing in the woods is a decent second plan."

The Elf laughed. "I can't dance for shit, Phil."

"This is from the man who can cross a tightrope in a windstorm without even a single wobble!" And Phil had seen him do it, too.

"Tightrope walking and dancing are two completely different things!"

Gods, Clint was so beautiful when he was happy. Phil's heart swelled at the sight of him, all flushed and his eyes glittering joyfully. "If you say so," he couldn't help but tease his lover.

"I should know, don't you think?"

"You still haven't said yes, Clint."

His archer rolled his eyes fondly. "Like that wasn't already a forgone conclusion. But yes, I'll marry you."

Phil couldn't help but kiss him for that.

They were both breathless by the time the Wizard pulled away. "I had a bracer commissioned for you, but I haven't managed to get it enchanted yet…" He'd had it made by the same artisan that had cut the leather that he'd used for Wanda's bracers, and it had only just arrived before they'd gone to do the curse removal; Andrew had snuck it to him with a knowing smile. It was in a box down in his casting chamber, just waiting for him to get working on the spells he wanted to put into it. "I know wearing a ring doesn't work with your archery, but I thought the bracer could be used as a wrist guard for when you shoot…" He felt a little embarrassed about his uncertainty at the gift, and he knew he shouldn't, just by the expression on Clint's face.

"That is perfect. We'll fetch it when we go back inside. What sort of spells are you going to give me?" He sounded eager.

Phil let himself lay back down, once again cushioning his head on Clint's chest. "Mostly various sorts of protection spells. I…found one that shields against mental manipulation, I thought you might appreciate that…"

Clint's arms tightened around him in answer. His being taken over by Loki and the acts he'd committed under the mad Asgardian's thrall would forever be a subject of guilt for him, and the last thing Phil wanted was for that to happen ever again.

"There's also a Shield spell, almost like the one on my own bracer, and I can show you how to use it when it's done."

"That Shield spell is awesome, Phil. Just sayin'."

He had to laugh at that. "I quite like it myself." Shields were damned useful, and that bracer he had was his favorite form of protection. It wouldn't save him if someone came at him from behind, but he had other protections for that. He'd learned his lesson from Loki stabbing him in the back, and he never wanted that to happen again.

It was Clint's turn to sit up, dislodging Phil's head from its resting place. Phil didn't mind, not when it meant his lover – his fiancé – was kissing him like that, like his life depended on it, and in that moment Phil could _feel_ the bond between them flaring into brightness at their close connection, and he had to wonder why he'd never noticed before.

His magic twined about the brilliance of the link, light against dark, bringing them together in ways no one could ever describe. They'd been _meant_ for each other, brought together by destiny and something else, a blessing and a curse and Phil wanted it more than _anything_.

"I would keep you forever," he whispered against Clint's lips. "You are another part of my soul." He wasn't sure where the words came from, but they were completely and utterly true.

Clint pulled back a little, his eyes glowing with happiness…and yet, there was a rime of sadness in them, like the first frost of fall. "Phil…"

He knew what was causing it, and he put a finger across the Elf's lips to stop him from saying it aloud. "No, Clint. Hush. It doesn't matter that we might only have today, or if we're together a thousand years from now. You will _always_ be a part of me, and _nothing_ will change that. _I_ wouldn't change it, not for anything. Believe me when I say that, alright?"

In reply, Clint kissed Phil's finger, that sadness thawing out and fading away. "When Stephen told me about the bond," he admitted once Phil had pulled his hand away, "I was afraid it would hurt you."

It would, on that day he finally lost Clint, but the pain of that future event would be so very worth the happiness he now felt. But for now… "I love you, Clint Barton. I love that you love me, too. But you also love our girls, and the family that we have. You have no idea what that means to me. And you could never hurt me…yes, we'll have disagreements and we'll fight, but we'll always fix it and come back to each other, like we did today. We'll raise our children, however many we end up having, and we'll be there to support each other through the rough times. We're together in this life, and that's what I want more than anything."

There were tears glittering in Clint's eyes, matching the ones that Phil could feel prickling in his. He'd never quite meant to bare his own soul like this, but he had, and regret would never come into him making himself so completely naked for the man he loved. Not naked bodily, although he was certainly that in the moment, but emotionally as well. He needed Clint to understand that the future didn't matter so much as their present did, and he needed to have Clint in that present as well as the hypothetical future they would have extending out before them like a road neither of them knew where it led.

One side of Clint's mouth twitched upward in a sweet smile. "You have no idea how much I love you, Phil Coulson."

Phil returned the smile. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

That led to more kissing, and the growing bond between them hummed with pleasure.

But they were interrupted by two very excited dragons, Lola and Lucky both pouncing on them and demanding their own affection. Phil could sense just how happy Lola was, that her human had someone to love as much as she loved her human, and the Wizard couldn't help but let her cuddle him.

"Aw, Lucky…" Clint groaned and laughed at the same time. "You need to watch where you put those talons, dragon."

Phil snorted at that, breaking into a full-blown belly laugh at his lover's disgruntled expression. Lucky didn't seem to care all that much that he'd come that close to crushing a vital part of the Elf's anatomy, licking Clint all over his face and leaving drool in his tongue's wake.

It made Phil glad that Lola had just a touch more dignity than the other dragon possessed. Although he could tell it was a close thing with Lola in that moment.

After the dragons got their congratulations for their companions out of the way, Phil got to his feet. "We should probably see what Crystal is up to," he admitted, a part of him not wanting to leave the clearing and the bubble of happiness they'd drawn up around them like some sort of magical shield against the world. Still, it had been a couple of hours at least; Phil didn't have his chronometer with him, so he couldn't have said for certain, judging by the place of the sun in the sky instead. He'd never been that good at estimating; Marcus had been the one to do that sort of thing in their travels. He was sure if he asked Clint the Elf would be able to tell him, but it wasn't all that important to know the exact time.

"And I'm getting a bit hungry," Clint added, pushing his exuberant dragon off his lap and also standing.

Phil was, as well. "Then let's get our clothes and head back to the Keep. I'm sure Andrew has something in the kitchen we can grab." He smirked. "After all, we _did_ just work up an appetite."

His archer leered at him. "That we did. You are a sex God, Phil, and I don't say that lightly."

The Wizard felt the faint blush that those words caused. "You're not so bad yourself."

Clint preened at that. "I am better than 'not so bad', I'll have you know."

Phil couldn't help but step forward and kiss him once more. Gods, he really loved that man, and he wasn't afraid to show it.


	49. Chapter 49

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Forty-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack wanted to pace. Instead, he waited for Ianto and their guests to have a seat, because he only wanted to tell this once and Steve knowing meant he wouldn't have to spread the word around anymore than he absolutely needed to, he could rely on others to do it for him.

He'd been a little surprised to see James up and about, and Steve hovering around him, but he knew his husband and figured Ianto was the reason the two friends had been reunited. Even though neither man had said anything, the immortal could tell that James' memory was still pretty well gone, but guessed he'd had to have remembered _something_ if Ianto facilitated the meeting between the two time-crossed soldiers. His husband might have been a closet romantic, but even he wouldn't have risked James' sanity by pushing him and Steve together again.

"I take it something happened at the traveling show," Ianto said almost immediately. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah," Jack answered. "They can handle things for the short time I'm gone. I thought it was more important to share the news I have right now, than to leave it for after the mission is done."

Ianto got that little frowny line between his eyebrows when he knew Jack wasn't telling him everything, and what he was keeping to himself was going to be _really_ bad. He really knew Jack so well, because he was absolutely correct in that assumption, only Jack was gonna dump it all in Ianto's lap and let him sort that shit out.

Myfanwy gave Jack a curious cooing sound, and he reached down to rub across her muzzle. "Hey, gorgeous," he greeted her, glad that she was there. He adored Ianto's dragon; had done almost from the very moment she'd shown up in that wrecked tower they'd been exploring back during that first mission together, back when Jack had been fighting his attraction to the Archivist and yet had been well on his way to falling in love. He'd not wanted to risk his heart back then, because that was before Ianto had been known as a Wizard, and before the Deep Ways had decided that it wanted to keep him around forever.

But Myfanwy had been easy to let himself love, and Ianto had teased him about the dragon liking Jack better than she did him. Jack knew that was patently untrue…Myfanwy definitely loved _Toshiko_ best.

Both Steve and James were looking puzzled, and Jack couldn't blame them. He figured he was going to need to give them a bit of background before he could get to the main explanation, so without preamble, he gazed at his husband and said, "_She_ came to us."

Ianto understood immediately. "The Child?"

"Yeah. We knew that was going to be a possibility, after what we'd heard from Barney Barton, but I hadn't expected to see her quite so soon."

He described to the two soldiers just who he was talking about…the UnEarthly Child, the one who balanced him out, and of her gift for prophecy. How she spoke in riddles that always came true in the end, and how sometimes her visions were only explained after the fact.

"And you say she's been around as long as you?" Steve asked, after Jack was finished.

"Almost as long, yes. I still don't know why whatever God or natural force chose a child to be my opposite, but I will always feel slightly ill by the whole thing."

Steve apparently agreed, because he shook his head and looked very disapprovingly at the very idea that this had been done to a little girl. James, however, just seemed resigned, as if he'd seen worse things and it was just par for the course for the universe to screw someone up like that.

Well, Jack supposed, if anyone knew that, it would have been him.

He was quite different from the man he'd known back during the Century War, but that was perfectly understandable. James didn't even remember his life back then, so there were no personal experiences for the former Winter Knight to draw upon. Steve being here was a very good sign, and the immortal hoped that James would have at least a chance to regain what he'd lost.

"And this Barney Barton…is he any relation to Clint?" Steve wanted to know.

"His brother," Ianto answered. "And there's quite a lot of bad blood between them. It's not our story to tell."

"Let's just say that Barney is trying to make amends," Jack added, "but I'm not sure Clint is going to be that easy to win over."

The UnEarthly Child had claimed to Barney that there would come a day when Clint would respect him again, and she was never wrong. It galled Jack just a little that destiny had evidently decided that the two brothers would make up at some point, and it wasn't fair that Clint wasn't even being given a choice in the matter.

"Anyway," Jack got back on track, "with everything going on right now, and because we all thought it would be a really good idea to use the network of traveling shows to put out the word on Hydra and the Hales. This was before we realized that Hale was the one who'd helped Loki escape, and Loki is infinitely worse than Hydra."

"Much worse," Ianto confirmed.

"I seem to recall Whitehall mentioning Loki of Asgard," James added slowly, as if the memories were coming back to him as he was speaking. "But I don't know in what context, although I know they weren't about to rescue him or anything like that. Pierce considered Loki far too uncontrollable and chaotic to trust."

Jack wondered how much Steve knew about Clint and Phil's history with the crazy Asgardian, and thought he should keep them out of it just in case no one had bothered to share with him yet. He had a feeling that James would remember at some point that Hydra had known that Phil Coulson had been the Dark One, because he'd been a witness to their machinations. Hydra must have thought he was far too under their magical control and hadn't been afraid to talk about their many secrets around him.

Shit.

That was going to be bad when that happened. He might try to head that off before James said something they were all going to regret. Because Phil's past didn't need to become common knowledge; it was bad enough that the entire Wizard's Guild knew about it.

"So, we all felt guilty and I've put together a team to keep an eye on the traveling show where Clint's brother runs things with his wife," the immortal continued, dragging his thoughts away from what could very well become a major problem at some point down the road. He followed up his statement with the prophecy that the Child had given Barton, about him regaining his brother's respect, and that Clint had a destiny that she would share with him at some point. "So, we knew she'd show up eventually, we just didn't know it would be to speak to _me_."

"It must have really spooked you to send you back here," Ianto said.

Jack barely resisted rolling his eyes at what hadn't _really_ needed to be said. "She gave this prophecy…and we've been worrying about the wrong thing. Loki is dangerous, but there's something else coming…something terrible, and it's going to need all of us in order to fight it."

"Sounds like this is just what Baron Nick's Avengers would be good for," Steve responded.

What?

"I'm sorry…what?" Jack asked out loud.

"It's his idea of a first strike team that can travel quickly and respond to threats before the regular army could be mobilized. He's asked me to lead it, as the Paladin of the Western Lands." Steve shrugged. "Only I get to hide my identity so no one puts the Paladin together with Triskelia's Knights' Commander."

Well, Jack could understand why Fury would want to have Steve lead. He was a brilliant tactician, and had done a lot of good as leader of the Howling Commandos. It made Jack warm a little with pride, knowing that Steve had been considering him for the team before things had gotten so out of control in the last days of the war.

A team like that made sense. Jack's mind was going to the logistics of such a group; with Steve as leader, and at least one Wizard on the team…it would be a bit like the team Jack, himself, ran now…or ostensibly ran, since he was currently not in the same country as them.

He glanced in Ianto's direction, and his husband's nodding informed Jack that he knew exactly what Fury was up to.

At his raised eyebrow, Ianto explained, "Tony has been working on an experimental form of armor, in order to use it as part of this Initiative. I got called in to…consult, on the power source."

What Ianto wasn't saying was that it was a magical power source, or else he wouldn't have been called in at all. Jack put together that omission with the fact that Tony Stark had a whacking great Artifact imbedded in his chest, one that no one knew anything about, and chances were he was using that thing to power this so-called armor.

"Magical armor?" Steve had just jumped to the same conclusion as Jack had. After all, he'd been a guest at Castle Ferrous for a bit, and had to have seen or heard something about the gemstone that was keeping Tony alive. Couple that with the man's inventive genius…yeah, Tony could totally do something like that with an unknown Artifact and make it actually work.

"Yes," Ianto confirmed, "but we're not spreading that around just yet. As far as the world is concerned, Tony had created a new power source for it. We don't want it getting out that he can work with magical Artifacts without needing magic himself. I know you dealt with that sort of thing back during the War, and James, here, was cursed without it being by any sort of Wizard at all. At this point, the knowledge is there, in our history, but that's all esoteric where the general public is concerned. Understanding that non-magical people can use Artifacts like that could cause a scavenger hunt-like mentality and we could have all sorts of issues with individuals finding and utilizing Artifacts and getting others injured or worse."

Jack knew Ianto's history with Artifacts, so the sudden paleness of his skin wasn't a surprise. Steve nodding in agreement was gratifying, as was James' quiet curse.

He also suspected it was so much more than that, that Ianto wasn't saying everything. Something else had to have occurred to cause that cover story to be invented, that Tony had performed yet another of his technological miracles and wasn't, in fact, using that stone that got imbedded in his chest. Because Jack was willing to bet that was what was powering that armor of his.

He'd be talking to Ianto later, once Steve and James weren't in attendance.

"What about the prophecy, Jack?" his husband asked, getting them all back on track. It wasn't as subtle as it could have been, the subject change, but the immortal ran with it, respecting Ianto's need to move on from the current discussion.

"She told me that, when the six become one, the world with change and eternity will end."

"Well," Ianto drawled, "that doesn't sound _at all_ ominous."

"It's also really vague," Steve added. Jack could see him trying to work it out, but there really wasn't a lot of information to go on.

"That was what she _said_," he replied. "But that wasn't all to the prophecy."

"The cards." Ianto was nodding. "What were the cards?"

"What cards?" James demanded. Steve was also looking a bit confused, and Jack cursed, realizing he hadn't talked about the cards the UnEarthly Child used when dealing her prophecies.

He gave a quick explanation, then continued. "The first cards were obviously me, and Ianto, along with Clint and Phil. The four of us are going to be important to what's going to happen."

"These cards actually looked like you four?" Steve asked. He was obviously somewhat taken with the idea of prophecy, just as he seemed to be with most magic.

"They seem to look like whatever the Child wants them to," Ianto commented. Then he grinned. "Jack just seems to be a favorite subject."

"Yeah, I wish I wasn't," the immortal snorted. "Anyway, then the other cards told more of the story."

Ianto was sitting forward, staring intently at Jack. He didn't ask, but then he didn't need to, because Jack was perfectly willing to describe what he'd seen.

"After that, the card showed seven symbols, in a circle." He glanced over at Steve. "Your old shield was one of them."

"And the others?" Now Steve was staring at Jack with a hells of a lot of intention.

Oh, of course.

The Avengers.

"An arrow. A green fist. An hourglass. A hammer. A red and gold gauntlet. And a black flame."

As Jack said each one, the former Paladin was nodding as if he recognized some of the symbols. "An arrow is Clint," Steve said, when the immortal prompted him. "I don't know about the green fist –"

"Bruce Banner," Ianto chipped in. "He has a curse on him, one that would change him into a monster. A green monster. I haven't had a chance to remove it yet, not with everything else going on."

"The hourglass is Natasha –"

It was Jack's turn to interrupt. "The Widow spider has an hourglass shape on its abdomen."

"Exactly," Steve agreed. "The hammer must be Prince Thor of Asgard. He carries a magical hammer called Mjolnir. Although, I can't see why he would join the Avengers, since he's not a citizen of the Western Lands…"

"Most likely because of Loki," Ianto suggested. "If this has anything to do with Loki, he'd be involved."

"You're right. He'd do anything to stop Loki." Steve was deep in thought. "The gauntlet…would Baron Tony's armor be red and gold?"

"It would."

"I thought it might be, since those are also the colors of Barony Ferrous. And the flame…"

Ianto finished that thought. "It's not a flame; it's Void. That symbol is for Phil."

Yes, that made sense; Phil's card had him with a black flame in his hand. He was also the most powerful Void Wizard in the world, only he could live up to the sort of standards a team of so-called Avengers would be formed by.

His husband chuckled. "As if Phil doesn't have enough on his slate at the moment."

Jack couldn't argue with that.

"So it seems as if Nick's idea is fate," he sighed. "I'm sure he'll be all smug about that."

Steve snorted. He might not have been Knights' Commander for long, but evidently he already understood Nick Fury all too well.

"What else was there, Jack?" Ianto prompted.

"There were six stones. I'm guessing they're Artifacts, and most likely the whole 'six becomes one' thing that the Child had gone on about."

Jack was startled to see his husband go pale. "Jack…were three of the stones orange, blue, and yellow?"

He frowned. "How did you know?"

"Gods," Ianto breathed. "There are six of them…"

The immortal wanted to demand what he was talking about, but knew by now that Ianto had to get it out in his own time. He could see his husband putting things together in his head, and coming up with an answer he didn't much care for.

"I've seen three of these stones," he finally admitted deliberately. "The orange one is in a pendant currently in the Secure Archives, and it's called the Soul Stone. The blue one…it's the Space Stone, and…" he swallowed hard. "It's the gemstone that's keeping Tony alive."

"Wait," Steve interrupted, "you're saying that the stone in Baron Tony's chest is one of these six?"

"Yes. Pepper called me in to look at it when Tony started using it as a power source for his armor. I…hadn't done it before, because no one believed it was neither powerful nor dangerous. You can imagine my surprise when I suddenly found my mind expanded across the entirety of space."

Shit. "Are you alright?" Jack didn't want to think what that sort of thing would have done to Ianto; he never wanted to lose him, although the Deep Ways usually kept that from happening. But, what if some sort of damage was done that the magic couldn't heal? Was that possible? Jack had no way of knowing, neither did Ianto.

"It just gave me a headache." Ianto waved his hand in dismissal. "However, it led me to the Mind Stone…which was the gem that had been mounted in Loki's spear and what had given him the ability to mind control so many people at once."

Jack frowned. "But that stone is also blue." He'd seen it, when the Wizards sent to collect it had brought it back from the Council of Barons' custody eleven years ago.

"That's its outer shell. When I scanned it, I could tell that wasn't its true form. The mounting was originally green, but the yellow stone changed it to blue."

"Where is the spear now?" Steve wanted to know.

Ianto hesitated. Jack didn't think that was good news, but didn't say anything. "It's…where no one else can get to it," he finally answered. "Trust me when I say, there's only one way it can be retrieved, and the person who could won't be convinced very easily to do that."

Jack put two and two together, and came up with Phil sending it into the Void. After all, that spear was the very thing that had killed his friend the first time, and had mind controlled Clint. Phil would have a great deal of hate for that thing, and wouldn't want Loki to get his hands on it again. As secure as the Secure Archives are, there was that bare chance anyone with enough determination could get to it.

He thought Steve might have understood as well, but then he'd been retrieved from the Void himself, and knew just what Phil could do. He might not have known the reasons why, but the former Paladin wasn't slow on the uptake.

"The Soul Stone will be joining it shortly," Ianto added, his voice tinged with relief.

"But there are still three more." Jack knew they were going to have to search for them; they couldn't afford to let any sort of powerful Artifacts get into the wrong hands.

"I don't recall ever seeing anything about such Artifacts in the Archives," his husband mused, "but then I didn't know about the diagram for the cursed arm, either. It looks as if there's a lot of research in my future as well."

"Maybe you should get Daisy Coulson and her friends to help," Steve suggested. "They did a great job finding that arm diagram."

Jack snorted. "It would also keep her and her little gang out of trouble." Those kids might have been a relatively new addition to his life, but the immortal knew quite a lot about them already.

"If it doesn't get in the way of their studies," Ianto said. "Each of them has been slacking a bit lately, although it's not exactly their fault. Being sucked into this sort of thing has a tendency to distract from other things."

"I…don't know if getting them involved is such a good idea," James said slowly. Jack could see his need to protect them in his eyes; although, he'd only met Daisy so far, so it seemed more likely that this instinct was aimed in her direction. After what she'd done to stand up for him, and support him, Jack could see why he'd feel that way.

"They're going to get involved whether we want them to or not," Ianto replied. "This way, we can control their involvement. Sticking them in the Archives would at least keep them out of the direct path of danger."

James shrugged, seemed to accept that reasoning.

"What about the other cards, Jack?" Ianto asked.

"There was only one…" Jack sighed. "It showed the world, cracked like an egg."

"Well," James said sarcastically, "that's not ominous _at all_."


	50. Chapter 50

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy Teleported to the school, Crystal in her arms, appearing in the room within the student dorms set up for that purpose, for returning students coming back for their lessons.

She was quite worried. Jemma had claimed that Medusa had been caught fighting, and Daisy could understand why if it had been a product of the bullying she'd claimed to have been a victim of. She wished she'd had a chance to explain it to Dad yet, but it had been so hectic lately…

The young Wizard set her sister down then, taking her hand, headed out of the room and into the hallway, and eventually outside and along the pathway leading toward the Wizard's Tower, where the Headmaster's Office was located. When Crystal had asked to come along, Daisy hadn't seen that as a problem, and Andrew had been fine with it. They were going to the school, which was one of the most highly protected places in the world, especially after Daisy herself had been kidnapped from it. A lot of the new wards she could sense had been cast then, and the older ones reinforced, so now it was impossible to enter the place without a special coding added to all Teleport Artifacts. If the coding wasn't there, it would set off an alarm and warn the Headmaster and other members of staff that someone unauthorized was on the grounds.

Daisy didn't know how anyone else felt about it, but she certainly appreciated the extra security.

Both Skye and Lockjaw took to the air as the two of them walked along the stone path. Daisy was glad to see that Lockjaw was now willing to fly a little bit of distance from Crystal; it meant that the younger dragon trusted her with his companion, and felt safe to leave Crystal in Daisy's company. For the first week or so after they'd come to the Keep, Lockjaw wouldn't leave Crystal's side so, seeing this, made her want to smile.

"Who are we going to see?" Crystal asked. She was practically bouncing along, happy to be out with her big sister.

"Her name's Medusa," Daisy answered, grinning down at her little sister. Crystal could still be shy around strangers, but she was coming out of her shell, improving immensely in just the short weeks she'd been a part of the family. Daisy could pinpoint the exact moment it began happening – when the adoption became official, and there wouldn't be a chance that she was going to be taken away. It had given Crystal a sense of permanency, and it had made her feel safe to be a little girl again.

Daisy could relate. It had been the same with her, when Dad had adopted her, only with Daisy herself it had meant that she hadn't had to run away again, as she'd been prone to do when in the various orphanages she'd found herself shuffled into. And, if the adoption hadn't gone through, she would have run away again, this time to find the man who'd wanted to give her a home and to stay with him, no matter what anyone else wanted.

She thought back on what Stephen had said, about there being a bond between herself and Dad, and the one growing between her and Clint. Daisy had wondered if there was something like that, but to have it confirmed…she couldn't help it, it made her unbelievably joyful knowing that she was where she truly did belong.

"Is she a friend?" her little sister inquired.

"Well, I just met her a couple of days ago, but I hope she will be someday." Medusa was still very young, and Daisy was hoping she'd be more Crystal's friend. Her little sister didn't really have any friends of her own age and, while Medusa was probably twice Crystal's age, they were more likely to become friends than Medusa with Daisy's own crowd.

They were going to have to see about finding youngsters for Crystal to meet. Daisy knew that at least Trip had a cousin who wasn't quite school age yet, and Lincoln had a little brother who'd just gotten his dragon. She needed friends of her own age, although that wasn't saying that Daisy's own friends didn't love Crystal in their own ways. They did. But Crystal would only benefit from having her own group of kids she could hang around with.

"Something happened," Daisy went on, "and she's been sent to the Headmaster. So, we're going to check on her, make sure she's alright."

"Okay," Crystal agreed. Daisy got the impression that she was just glad to be with her big sister, which gave her a warm feeling in her chest. She was so glad that Dad had found her under that gazebo and brought her home. Daisy had always wanted a little sister, so it was perfect.

The school was bustling at that time of day, students and Novices going back and forth from their various classes. Daisy herself still had a couple of advanced classes she attended beyond her studies with Pepper, but next semester those classes would be done, leaving her to spend all her time with her teaching Master. Unfortunately, with all the Hydra stuff going on Daisy had missed some of those classes, and was still catching up. However, she was advanced enough that she would be able to do that with only a little effort.

The entrance to the Wizard's Tower was doubly warded, and Crystal made a funny little noise when they passed through. "It tickles," she giggled when Daisy asked. "Lots of magic here. I like Gateway, Daisy. It's all fizzy and it feels like you and Uncle Ianto."

"That's because our magic is like the magic that lives here." It would be too complicated to explain Gateway's actual history, so figured this would be the easiest way to do it. Talking of Nameless Demons and Cardinal Points and the Deathless would have been a bit beyond the little girl at the moment. She'd get all the history lessons she'd want once she started at the school.

Being a Void walking through the pseudo-Cardinal Point that was Gateway should have been at least a little uncomfortable for Crystal, but she was apparently enjoying it. Daisy didn't know what that meant, but she'd already guessed that her sister was going to grow up to be very powerful. Just from her being able to sense what sort of magic a person had – and being able to feel the leftover Void in Steve – was giving a lot of insight into just how she'd eventually grown up. She should ask Dad about it, get his opinion. And, if Crystal was going to be that powerful, being taught by the strongest Void Wizard of the age was only going to be for the best. Dad would do right by her.

Daisy didn't want to be jealous about that sort of thing, but she couldn't help herself. She wished _she_ could have been Dad's Novice, but at least she'd gotten Pepper out of the deal. Because the only person she'd trade Pepper for would have been Dad.

Although she was beginning to think Ianto would have been on that list, too.

The Wizard's Tower had a wide, winding staircase up into the pinnacle of the structure, and the Headmaster's Office was at the very top. The higher-level Wizards could use Levitation spells to get to and fro, but Daisy and Crystal were limited to taking the stairs. Stifling a sigh, she headed up, Crystal still holding her hand, nodding in greeting to the other Wizards who were also stuck going up and down the hard way.

Skye chuckled at them on her own way up, while Lockjaw darted about the smaller dragon like a hummingbird. He was quite graceful in flight, Daisy had to admit, even as she was sending a mental growl toward her own dragon for being such a brat.

About halfway up, Crystal got tired, so Daisy lifted her in her arms. It made the climb a little more difficult with the extra weight, and the young Wizard found herself mentally cursing the fact that Teleportation spells didn't work within the Tower. Having an Artifact tuned into the upper levels would have been fantastic. Daisy's legs were going to ache come tomorrow, and she was in really good physical shape. She felt sorry for the Wizards who weren't and had business up that high.

Maybe someone should create a sort of lift or something that could take a bunch of people to the various floors. She'd talk to Baron Tony about it, or maybe Dr. Banner. They might have some ideas.

Skye and Lockjaw were waiting for them when Daisy finally set her feet on the landing leading to the Headmaster's office. Daisy stopped, taking a deep breath as she set Crystal down once more, glad to finally have made it. It really hadn't taken that long, it had just seemed like it, but the Tower was nearly twenty stories tall so the stairs really were a nightmare. The Wizard's Tower was the tallest building in Gateway, and while it looked awe-inspiring on the outside, the inside was a pain in the ass to navigate.

The Headmaster's office was on the right of the landing, with a receptionist desk outside the heavily warded door and a couple of uncomfortable-looking chairs in the waiting area. Jemma and Leo were in those chairs, and they stood as soon as Daisy had arrived.

Crystal greeted them enthusiastically; Daisy less so, but it was more because she was still slightly winded from the climb. Jemma knelt and hugged Crystal in return; Turbo and Professor greeted Skye and Lockjaw equally enthusiastically, cuddling both dragons fiercely then descending into a pile by the reception desk, where the dragon belonging to the Headmaster's PA was already sprawled; a large, sleek, silvery-grey dragon with wise green eyes.

Mistress Clara Oswald, the personal assistant – she also taught a Literature syllabus, Daisy had taken it and had quite enjoyed it – smiled at them. "The Headmaster will be done with Medusa shortly," she assured them. "He told me that she'd called you. It's good of you to have helped her the way you have."

"Bullying needs to stop," Daisy declared. "And I hope the ones who bullied Medusa will get punished for it."

"Don't worry about that. The Headmaster has already taken care of the young hooligans who started it. He's also going to enact a zero tolerance policy on any sort of bullying."

"I do hope Medusa isn't punished too badly," Jemma fretted.

"We know fighting on campus isn't allowed," Leo followed her thought.

"But she didn't start it," Jemma finished. "She was only defending herself."

"I'm sure Master Ian will take that into consideration," Mistress Clara said. "You're right; we can't have students fighting each other, but there are extenuating circumstances in this case."

The door heading into the Headmaster's office opened, revealing Medusa and her dragon, Addie. She didn't look upset, which was a good thing; there was a bruise coming up on her cheek, where someone had to have hit her, and Daisy suddenly wanted to demand the names of the bullies who'd gone after her like that. Hitting a child should have been a curseable offence in this circumstance.

"You alright?" she asked worriedly.

"Student Medusa is fine," the friendly voice of Headmaster Ian Chesterton answered, "albeit a little bit knocked about."

The Headmaster was an elderly Wizard, United Kingdom born and bred, and a gentleman in every sense of the word. His wife, Mistress Barbara, was a teacher in History, and would most likely be the one to teach Crystal when it came time for her sister to start at the school.

"The school healer did a check," the Headmaster continued, "and it's simply a bruise. Nothing to be too concerned about."

Medusa was staring at something, and it took Daisy a moment to realize it was Crystal, who had taken cover behind Daisy's legs at the sudden influx of strangers. Crystal tugged at Daisy's sleeve. "She's like me," she practically whispered.

"Yes, she is." The young Wizard rested a hand on Crystal's shoulder. "This is Medusa, the one I told you about."

That had the little girl moving out of her big sister's shadow. "Hi," she greeted shyly. "I'm Crystal Barton-Coulson."

"I'm Medusa." An expression of wonder crossed her features, but it quickly vanished. She turned to the Headmaster, who was watching with an indulgent look. Daisy wondered if this was what a kindly grandfather looked like, because she'd never had one but had heard enough to recognize it. "Thank you, Headmaster, for believing me."

"You're welcome. However, you understand that you cannot escape punishment as well."

She nodded. "But I had to defend myself."

"You did," the Headmaster agreed, "but we cannot have fighting in this school." He glanced up at Daisy and her friends. "Medusa has been suspended for three days."

Daisy wanted to be outraged, but she did understand. Not punishing Medusa would set a dangerous precedent, one that the school really couldn't afford. At least it wasn't any longer than three days; she could only imagine what the bullies had got if that had been handed down to Medusa.

"Now," Headmaster Ian said, "I believe we're done. Student Medusa, we shall see you in three days. Please make sure you keep up with your studies in the meantime."

"I will, Headmaster," she agreed. Then she sighed. "Now I just have to explain to my guardian what happened."

He patted her on the shoulder, then glanced at Daisy. "I understand that Grand Master Phil is hoping to end this sort of bullying, so please make certain that he's made aware of the situation. If he wishes the names of the instigators and who their parents are, have him contact me and I will give him the details."

"I'll do that." She was happy that the Headmaster was willing to help. Dad would appreciate it, as well as Ianto and Stephen. If what Medusa had claimed was true the first time they'd met, her tormenters had been Greats, which meant that Stephen would have to step in, especially if this had been learned behavior from the parents involved.

Gathering up their dragons, the five left the Headmaster's office, Daisy stifling a sigh as she realized she was going to have to take the stairs _again_. At least it would all be downhill, in a way.

The dragons would, of course, be able to glide down, which was completely unfair. Daisy made a mental note to ask her Dad about the Levitation spell he often used when going from floor to floor at the Keep, adding it to the one about the lift thing that she was certain Baron Tony would be able to invent.

"I like your hair," Medusa was saying as she followed along behind.

Daisy turned, and noticed her speaking to Crystal. Her sister was walking with Jemma, who was a couple of steps behind Medusa, Leo practically on his best friend's heels. Crystal was smiling shyly at the compliment.

"Thank you," she answered. "It's always been like that." Her hand went up to touch the odd, black design amid the fine blonde strands.

Daisy liked it, too. It was very distinctive, and Dad had once commented that the Void had marked Crystal for greatness with that streak. He saw much more than Daisy ever could when it came to the Void, so she'd believed him.

"I like your hair, too," Crystal went on. "It's almost like Aunt Natasha's."

Medusa grinned. Her red hair was, if anything, wilder than at that first meeting, all curls and twisted locks that almost seemed to have a life of its own. "Aunt Natasha?"

Crystal nodded vigorously. "She's wonderful. She's my Daddy's best friend."

Daisy turned back to watch her steps, smiling as her sister went from shy to excited all at once, chattering about her family and how Dad and Clint had adopted her and how much she loved them all. She felt tears prickling a little, and rubbed her fingers across her eyes to keep them from showing themselves.

Daisy let her go on until they hit the bottom of the stairs, then turned to Medusa. "You need help getting anything together so you can head home?"

Medusa grimaced. "I hate having to explain this to my guardian. She's not going to take this very well."

"Surely she'll understand," Jemma exclaimed.

"It wasn't your fault, after all," Leo added.

"I still got suspended," Medusa pointed out.

"We can go home with you!" Crystal exclaimed. "Daisy can tell your guardian what happened and be on your side and everything!"

While Daisy certainly appreciated her little sister's faith in her, she wasn't so sure it was well-placed in this situation. "I'm not sure anyone will take a stranger's word for anything," she explained. At Crystal's crestfallen expression, she hastened to add, "But if Medusa wants me to go along, I'm willing. I'd just have to let Dad know first, so he doesn't worry." She assumed that Medusa would have had a Teleport Artifact to get her home; it was obvious she wasn't from the United Kingdom, just because of her lack of accent.

Medusa bit her lip uncertainly. "You didn't even see what happened…"

"No," Jemma said, "but we know about the bullying."

"And Headmaster Chesterton even confirmed that was what occurred," Leo finished. "Just from what he'd said about the punishment given to the miscreants that gave you that." He gestured toward the bruise.

"And we can go along as well," Jemma volunteered. "The more confirmation, the more chance your guardian understands the events."

Medusa frowned. "My Teleporter won't carry so many people…"

"Can I see it?" Daisy asked.

The student pulled a water-worn pebble out of her pocket. Not everyone could afford the more fancy enchanted items; if a student didn't have a Teleport Artifact when first coming to the school, then one was provided, but this wasn't one. The tingle of magic in Daisy's palm was decidedly Cardinal, which was a surprise since Medusa was Void, and magic ran in families. However, she hadn't actually mentioned parents, only a guardian, so either this guardian could have made it themselves or purchased it for Medusa when she'd been accepted into the Wizard's School.

Daisy frowned, however, because the magic might have been Cardinal, but there was something… off, about it. Something she couldn't put her finger on. "Let's go outside," she suggested, "I want to look at this and see if I can adapt it to carry more than one person."

"You can do that?" Medusa asked incredulously, as the group moved toward the entrance doors.

"Well," Daisy hedged, "I've done it once, and it was mainly because Dad was the one who'd done the enchanting…" She didn't go any further than that, not wanting to talk about that time at the Hydra mansion, after Dad had been killed that time with the Vibranium that someone had thought had been a good idea to put around his neck. All Daisy had wanted to do was to get her and Clint out, and take her Dad's body with them. It had turned out that he hadn't been quite as dead as it had seemed, the Void bringing him back in a rather quiet manner.

She didn't like to think about that. It still gave her nightmares, seeing Dad and Lola looking so dead on that slab in Hydra's laboratory. Her only consolation was that Clint had been with her at the time, because she honestly wouldn't have known what to do without him.

One more thing she and her new father had in common: witnessing the death of the man they both loved, only in different ways.

"I thought your father was Void?" Medusa looked even more confused.

The young Wizard waited until they were outside and seated under one of the trees that had been planted around the Tower. It was a popular gathering place for students and Novices who were between classes, but at that time of the day it was fairly deserted. "He is, but I've just been around him so long I know his magical signature. It wasn't easy, but I managed."

"It was quite impressive," Jemma gushed.

"We both were there when Daisy used the Artifact," Leo confirmed, although he wasn't giving all the details away. Daisy wanted to hug him for that.

"And Grand Master Phil is _very_ powerful," Jemma continued. "So it was even more amazing when Daisy was able to adapt his own spell like that."

"Everyone wants Grand Master Phil as their teaching Master," Leo confided. "Even those of us who aren't Void."

"Dad's gonna teach me magic!" Crystal exclaimed. She'd cuddled up next to Daisy, but not so close that she would be in the way of Daisy's poking at Medusa's Teleport Artifact. "He's already teaching Wanda and Trip –"

"Two of our friends," Daisy added.

"—and Wanda really likes Trip, I think they're gonna be best friends."

Daisy barely hid her snort. Crystal didn't understand what having a crush was, and she wasn't going to explain it to her. Not yet, at least.

Jemma didn't bother stifling her laugh. "Yes, we think so, too."

"Very best friends." Leo was blushing, but then of all Daisy's friends he was the one who was usually most easily embarrassed.

Even Dad had noticed, which meant Wanda wasn't being nearly as sneaky about it as she thought she was. Trip wasn't oblivious; he'd come to Daisy for advice, which was really sweet and had done wonderful things to her ego. He hadn't wanted to upset Wanda, but then Trip was a true gentleman and would never want to upset anyone. It wasn't that he didn't like Wanda; he really did. It was just that she was too young, and he hadn't wanted to lead her on. He'd even admitted to Daisy that, if Wanda had only been a little older, he might have asked her out for coffee or something, but it was just too soon. He didn't want to be seen like he was taking advantage.

Daisy loved Trip for that. His Mama had taught him the right way.

She let her friends and sister chatter on as she concentrated on the stone in her hand. Yes, the magic was very much Cardinal, but the deeper she got into the spell strands on the stone she could _see_ the strangeness to it. The equations were the basic Teleport forms, but the strands of magic themselves…they were…

Musty.

Old.

Slightly twisted to the right of the actual Deep Ways.

Daisy couldn't figure it out.

In a way, it reminded her of the Void back at the Hydra mansion; Pierce had warped it to his own ends, claiming it had been to make the Void into something greater. That same Void had infested the curses that had been on Uncle James, and taking that into himself had made her Dad ill.

This, though, was different. Daisy got the distinct impression that the magic involved hadn't come from some sort of twisted Cardinal Point…that it had been the person themselves that had caused their own personal magic to change into something else. Something dirty, like it had been buried for years under the ground. In fact, as she touched the magical lines within the spell, the young Wizard could taste the hint of dirt on her tongue. It was vaguely unpleasant, but not something she couldn't deal with.

To her surprise, Daisy could tell that the Teleport was already calibrated for two people, only that part of the magic had been blocked, like Medusa's guardian hadn't trusted her not to take joy rides with the stone. Well, Medusa was a kid, so maybe that shouldn't have been so surprising, but Dad hadn't really done anything like that with her, preferring to explain the reasons why she couldn't do certain things instead of throttling her spells. Well, she supposed it took all sorts to parent a child, and this was just one way of making certain Medusa didn't do anything that wasn't allowed.

It made her reluctant to mess with the spell. However, someone needed to explain to Medusa's caretaker what had happened, how she'd gotten those bruises, and not blow things out of proportion. Daisy doubted that Medusa would want the Headmaster to do it, or one of her teachers, so that meant someone who wouldn't create the very response that the girl was trying to avoid. So, no authority figures just popping in, then.

So, she moved a few threads around, wiping away the restrictions on just how many would be able to use the stone. "There. Now, it will carry two." Daisy handed it back to Medusa, who accepted it with a look of awe. "Who do you want to go with you?"

"It should be you," Jemma pointed out. "You're the daughter of the Grand Master of Voids, after all."

"And you're the one who told Medusa to contact us if anything happened," Leo added.

They had a point.

"And I can go, too!" Crystal volunteered. "Me and Lockjaw."

Not so sure Dad would like that idea. "Actually you should probably be home for when Dad and Clint get back…"

Crystal looked mulish. "I wanna go with you, Daisy. Dad and Daddy will be fine with it, because they trust you to look after me."

Daisy was torn. Yes, she knew their two fathers did trust her with Crystal. But, at the same time, Loki was still out there, and Dad hadn't had a lot of time to update and strengthen the charms on both of them yet. She knew it would be impossible for Hydra to track her using any sort of Scrying magic, thanks to Dad and his Perception wards, but at the time he'd cast them they hadn't known that Loki was going to escape Asgard. And, if the Hales _had_ helped him escape, then the crazy Asgardian would be aware of Daisy's existence.

But this was Medusa's home. Surely there wouldn't be any danger there…

And Daisy felt responsible for her. Yes, she might have only just met the girl, but she'd promised to help if she could, and Medusa needed her help in explaining to this guardian of hers just why she'd been suspended from classes for the next three days. If someone didn't give them a rational explanation, Medusa might get into more trouble than she was already in.

"If Crystal wants to come," Medusa said slowly, as if the words were being pulled out of her, "I'm sure that would be fine."

Daisy gave her a side-eye. Medusa kept glancing toward Crystal, and there was something in her eyes, a longing that seemed odd in a nearly complete stranger. Was Medusa an only child, and she wanted to have a sister of her own? That could be, especially since she was being looked after by someone who wasn't a parent. She wanted to ask about Medusa's birth family, what had happened to them, but that was just way too forward for such a short acquaintance. Sure, Daisy could be downright nosy, but even she knew how to be polite when she needed to be.

"Where do you live?" she felt safe in asking.

"It's a valley," the girl explained. "A small village in Barony Olympia. I wasn't born there, but moved there after my parents…well. They didn't want me."

Oh, crap.

That explained a lot, really.

Crystal was staring at her almost in awe. "My parents didn't want me, either. But Dad found me and he and Daddy and Daisy adopted me and we live in this really big Keep with Steward Melinda and Doctor Andrew, and I have all these aunts and uncles!"

Medusa's eyes turned glassy with tears. "I have my guardian, and brothers and sisters because she took in a lot of orphans."

Without a single hesitation, Crystal clambered over to Medusa and hugged her. "I can be your friend, okay?" she offered.

Medusa sighed, wrapping her own arms around Crystal. "I'd like that."

Daisy felt herself getting choked up, and she could tell both Jemma and Leo were feeling the same way. This was something she'd also have to report to her Dad; she hadn't even had a chance yet to explain Medusa, but this…there was someone else out there who was looking after lost magical children, kids whose parents had been dicks about them for some reason – and Daisy was willing to bet that Medusa's parents dumping her had to with her being Void – and who'd needed a home. Dad would want to speak to Medusa's guardian, to make certain that she had all she needed in order to take care of all her wards, to get her the support she might need in order to do the best job she could.

This guardian was obviously Cardinal, from the magic about the Teleport stone. It was a direct opposite of her and Dad; a Cardinal, taking in a Void child. There were good people out there, and they could be examples of how Wizards should look after each other, and not turn against one another just because their magic was different.

In that moment, Daisy knew she'd be going.

She needed to find out about Medusa's guardian. To see what she was doing and if she needed anything. To get the information needed to inform her Dad, so he could take it to Ianto and Stephen and figure out what needed to be done to help.

"Alright," Daisy agreed. "But I'm going to need to call Dad first, and let him know we're going."

Crystal squealed a little in excitement, pulling away from Medusa in order to keep from deafening her. "And maybe someday you can come to our home, Medusa!"

The expression on the girl's face was soft and fond. "I hope I can."

Daisy dug out her speaking stone. If they left quickly, they could be home before dinner, then she could brief Dad and Clint about the situation…


	51. Chapter 51

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-One

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

The moment Loki's fingers touched one of the lines of red stone…

Nothing happened.

Well, nothing outward seeming.

He could sense the magic within the melted-appearing gemstone. It was slumbering, its power banked and quiescent, except for what was being utilized for the protection of the valley. Loki's own magical ability was brought to the fore, and yet it did nothing to awaken the power within the crystal.

Touching it, he could now most certainly tell the similarity between it and the gemstone he'd once held.

When the stone he'd had mounted within his spear had come into his hands, it had reacted almost the same way. It had taken much concentration and manipulation to force it to perform what little magic he could call upon, yet even that had been only a small part of what the stone had contained. Still, it had allowed him to control many disparate individuals and to make them do his bidding, and there had no seemed to be a limit as to distance. Once a person was under Loki's thrall it did not matter where he had sent them. They would continue to follow his orders to the letter.

However, that had also been when his magic had been at its strongest. Now, that was no longer the case; his battle with the Dark One had, somehow, damaged the source of his power, making it unreliable and slower to come at his command. His imprisonment, instead of allowing his magic to heal, had hindered that process, and Loki doubted that he would be able to bring his former strength into taming this particular Artifact to his control.

He had hoped…oh, had his hoped. That by touching the runnels of crystal that it would react to him, show him what it could achieve with just his still-formidable will. Loki would need every advantage if he was to face the Dark One yet again. While he wanted nothing more than revenge, he knew that it would be impossible to challenge the man directly. Mistress Catherine wanted to involve the Dark One's daughter, but Loki understood what a monumentally horrible idea would be, if she wished to live through the ordeal. The man may have been arrogant, yet he was also ruthless, and the Wizard doubted very much that the Dark One would allow such a thing to occur to someone he loved.

He shook his head, bitter at allowing his mind to wander when his attention should have been on the stone under his fingertips.

Touching it thrust home to him that this was, indeed, very much like the stone in his spear. Perhaps it had been created by the same Wizard that had enchanted his own gemstone; that made sense, and Loki found himself wishing that he could have, somehow, met the person responsible for making such objects of power.

And yet, Ruby Hale had been correct; the stone _was_ otherworldly. That knowledge made his very nerve endings tingle. Whoever this Wizard was, he had been powerful enough to have reined in the very forces of nature themselves, to create such magnificent Artifacts.

One that controlled the mind…the other to control the very reality around them. How many more of these Artifacts had been made? How would he be able to seek them out, if there were others?

Not that he would be able to use them. He had barely been able to control the one he'd had, and this one was non-responsive to his touch.

Loki had not the fierce emotions that Thor had. It was not within him to rage at the stone; Thor would have, smiting it with Mjolnir when it did not respond to him. Loki was of a different mettle, cold and calm as the ice sheets of Jotun, and yet he wished he could act very much like the man he'd considered a brother for so long, shout and fume at his lack of success.

"I was really hoping it would do something for you," Ruby Hale's voice broke into Loki's thoughts.

His eyes glanced upward, and he saw her standing where she had been before, arms crossed, a smirk on her pale features. "As was I," he felt no need to dissemble; after all, she had been around this stone for longer, and even her mother had failed. Yes, Mistress Catherine was not a powerful Wizard. She should very well have failed to coerce the crystal into doing her bidding.

No, the stone was _waiting_. That was the most important inference Loki could have made from his short and unsatisfying examination of the Artifact. It was waiting for someone to come and harness its power.

Somehow, Mistress Jiaying had managed to convince it to warp the reality around the valley. Loki did not know how she had managed to accomplish this, and he had to be impressed by the act. This stone was also not for her, and yet she was maintaining a very small modicum of control over its magic. Of course, he would not congratulate her on such a feat; he had no wish to fuel her obvious megalomaniacal tendencies. She may have chosen to protect the children in this valley, however Loki had to wonder if there was a sort of hidden agenda behind the act.

All the more, he saw this place as some sort of enclave, and the children kept within as members of a cult being run by a madwoman in the disguise of a mother-figure to the dispossessed young ones kept under her wing.

He could certainly understand why Hydra had been so drawn to Jiaying. The woman was traveling her own path, molding these children to the image she held within her head…just as Hydra had done the same with its own followers. What that image Jiaying had was still a mystery, although Loki could make educated guesses due to what he had witnessed since being a near-prisoner within the valley.

Jiaying wanted to replace the daughter she'd lost with these little ones, either into a family or an army he could not yet state confidently.

"Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I touched it myself," Ruby mused.

"Why haven't you?" Loki was genuinely curious.

She shrugged. "If Mom couldn't do anything, I seriously doubt I could, either."

That was…surprisingly self-aware of the young woman. Loki was, once again, impressed.

However, he could also see the opportunity for what it was…to sow a little chaos. Perhaps he would be entertained at last.

"Have you ever wondered, though?" he purred, taking a single step toward her. "You have this destiny, to become the Destroyer of Worlds. Have you wondered if this," he waved behind him toward the stone, "is how that occurs? That this gives you the power to be more than you are?"

Ah, so she hadn't, judging from the thoughtful expression on her face. Loki smiled inwardly. He had her.

"This stone has the ability to warp reality," he continued. "Certainly, with that sort of power, one would have the ability to crack this world like an egg…and you wouldn't even have to lift a finger to cause it. You could change the very fabric of what is real, and what is not, and easily twist a person's mind into believing that what they believe is helping…is, in actuality, doing more damage than it would usually do. You could have the most powerful of Wizards at your beck and call, to do your bidding, and all you would need to do is show them a false reality, or to thrust them into a reality beyond this one, to get them on your side. That sort of magic…it's _amazing_. I only wish I could do this myself. However," he let a sly smile curve his lips, "it is not _my_ destiny to do so."

His quick mind brought up the possibilities. If Ruby Hale wasn't strong enough to draw upon the power, it would knock her ego down into manageable levels. She would be easier to manipulate, to bring her to his side, to convince her that he could aid her in this supposed destiny.

If she could, however, control the magic in the stone…oh, she would be grateful to him for showing her the way toward fulfilling this destiny she'd believed in for so long, long enough that it had caused an almost borderline madness within her. She would be willing to grant him a favor, a single favor, and he would choose that favor with care.

He might not have been able to defeat the Dark One eleven years ago, but he would find another way to do so.

Before he could speak again, there was a disturbance nearby. Three people had materialized beside Mistress Jiaying's house…a youngster, a student by the looks of her, with tangled red hair and a worried expression, an aura of Void about her. Her clothes were not new, yet they were clean, and there was a bruise on her face as if someone had struck her. Her dragon was grey, with a pearl-like sheen to its scales.

The second was an older girl, a powerful Cardinal in Loki's magical sight, more powerful than anyone he had ever seen before, dressed in shades of purple and wearing gauntlets that seemed to be settling her great magicks into a controllable level. Her face has an Eastern Empire cast to it, although it was obvious she was not a full-blood citizen of that august country. She had a small blue dragon sitting on her shoulders, tail looped loosely about her neck.

The third was a child, too young to be in training for anything and yet a Wizard, one that would grow into being a powerful Void if Loki was any judge. She was blonde, although there was an odd black design in the bright strands, an outside sign of the power that would come to her one day. Her clothes were a bright yellow with black polka dots spread about the bodice, and she was being held by the eldest of the trio. The dragon that sat on the ground at the elder's feet was most likely hers, glittering brown, with a forked horn upon its forehead. It had a starveling look about it, as if it had known deprivation and was recovering.

Ruby snorted. "It worked."

Loke turned to regard her; the Novice's face was smug and superior, and for a heartbeat the Wizard wanted to roll his eyes at it, and yet he refrained. He had yet to get Ruby Hale onside with his own goals, and it would not do to alienate her this soon into the process. "What worked?" he inquired, letting just enough confusion flow into his words.

"Mom's plan to get the Dark One's daughter here." She jerked her head toward the older child. "That's her. Daisy Coulson."

Ah. Now, this was a surprise indeed.

Loki would have to ponder his next move carefully, as he had not expected Mistress Catherine's plan to actually succeed.

At least, he now had a last name for his nemesis. Coulson.

He would need to do more research into this new information.

And then, this Daisy Coulson noticed them.


	52. Chapter 52

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

The Keep seemed a little too quiet when Phil and Clint, with dragons in tow, got back.

Shield Keep was large enough that it was usually pretty peaceful. But there was a little girl in residence now, and Phil had expected it to be a little noisier for it. He reached out with his senses, searching for Crystal, and finding nothing.

"What is it?" Clint asked, noticing that something was wrong.

"Crystal isn't in the Keep."

With that, Phil was striding forward, sending out his senses again, this time looking for the telltale magical signature that still hovered about Andrew ever since his accidental cursing. He found the man easily enough; he was in the kitchens, most likely preparing dinner. Melinda would have been somewhere else within the Keep, but Phil wasn't able to sense her. He'd once suggested that she let him put a tiny Locator charm on her, so he would know where she was if he'd ever needed her, but Melinda had refused, telling him in no uncertain terms that, if he could find her, then anyone else with a lick of magic could as well, and she wasn't about to make herself a target in her own home.

Phil could understand that reasoning, and let the idea go.

Andrew was puttering about the pantry when he and Clint entered the kitchen. The Wizard could hear the distracted muttering Andrew would make whenever he couldn't figure out what he wanted to make, doing a nearly inaudible inventory of whatever they had on hand.

Phil called out, knowing if he didn't announce his presence Andrew would have been too distracted to notice them come in. Andrew stepped out of the pantry, giving them both a smile. "Get that worked out alright, then?"

"What do you think?" Clint answered lasciviously.

Andrew laughed. "I shouldn't have asked." He looked at Phil. "Daisy came home early, but she got a call from Jemma about something happening at the school, so she took Crystal with her when she left."

Phil frowned. "What happened at the school?" It couldn't have been too bad if Daisy took Crystal with her, so he relaxed from the tension he'd been feeling when he'd noticed that Crystal was gone. Although it wasn't as if she could have left on her own, Lockjaw could, in fact, teleport, so he could have taken her anywhere unintentionally, if for some reason he got spooked.

"Daisy apparently ran into a case of bullying. A student Void was being harassed by a group of Greats, and today this student was taken to the Headmaster's office for fighting. Jemma called and asked Daisy to come, and Crystal insisted on going along." Andrew smiled. "You know how Crystal is."

Phil did. It would have been impossible for Daisy to say no to her, not when Crystal brought out the puppy eyes. "And I suppose Daisy just hadn't gotten around to reporting to me about this case of bullying?" He would have liked to have known about it before now. If there was one case of bullying at the Wizard's School, then there would be others, and he would need to meet with the Headmaster about making plans for such cases happening again.

"Well, Phil, to be fair…things have been pretty hectic around here, and she just found out about it the other day. From what I could tell, Daisy hadn't actually been expecting to hear anything back about it so soon."

Andrew did have a point.

"And I'm sure she'll tell you all about it when she gets back. Oh, and you also got a call from Ianto, he says it's urgent you call him as soon as you can."

"That's not ominous," Clint sighed.

Phil couldn't argue with that. "How long ago did he call?" How far behind this news was he going to be at this point?

"Only about a quarter of an hour ago. I told him I'd let you know as soon as you were…unoccupied."

Clint laughed. "And I'm sure you put it exactly that way."

"Of course I did. Now, I have to figure out what dinner is going to be…"

That was a dismissal if Phil ever heard one. Which was fine; he wanted to contact Ianto and see what was going on.

Gods forbid it was anything serious, although with his luck it would be.

Together, they made their way up to their bedroom, Phil once again reminding himself to get a mirror down into the public areas of the Keep so everyone wouldn't have to troop up to their sleeping quarters to answer it. Thank the Gods he'd made certain that the bed had been tidied; the last thing the Wizard wanted to do was to have either Andrew or Melinda walk into a mess. He'd never hear the end of it.

Both dragons jumped up onto the bed and cuddled up together as Phil went to activate his mirror, setting the coordinates for Ianto's own mirror in Gateway. He wanted to fidget, wondering if this was about Loki or the last of Hydra, figuring there had to have been some news on either front. Had something happened out at the traveling show? Or had the Hales and/or Loki finally made their move? It could have been either one…or something else could have cropped up.

Why couldn't things finally calm down?

Ianto appeared almost immediately, Jack at his side. Both were quite serious, so it couldn't be good news. And Jack was supposed to have been out at the Carson's traveling show, so if he was back so soon…

_"__Sorry to interrupt,"_ Ianto began, _"but this couldn't wait."_

"That bad?" Phil stifled the sigh that had threatened to escape with those two words.

_"__Afraid so," _Jack answered. _"The UnEarthly Child showed up at the traveling show…and she had a few things to say."_

He proceeded to set out the prophecy he'd received from the immortal Seer.

And yes, it was bad.

"There are six of those damned Artifacts?" This was not good. They had no way of even hoping to find the others; it had only been by sheer luck that they knew about three of them.

_"__Steve suggested putting Daisy and her friends on an Archive search," _Ianto said. _"We need to figure out what the other three are, and at least get some of clue as to what happened to them."_

"Steve?"

Jack nodded. _"He was here when I got back, talking to James. They both had some good insights, and Steve has taken James back to Triskelia to inform Baron Nick about it. The sooner we get the word out that there are more stones and that the world could be ending, the faster we can mobilize some sort of defense."_

"These Avengers could come in handy." Phil could have guessed that Marcus would come up with that sort of idea, and it was a good one. Although, he had some hesitation over joining it himself, even if the UnEarthly Child had foretold he would be. Clint, though…he could see his lover being a member, the archer acquitting himself quite well indeed.

As for Steve talking to James…that was good news indeed, that Ianto had believed the former Winter Knight was able to meet the man who'd once been his best friend. Perhaps it would lead to healing for both men.

The child within Phil couldn't help making high-pitched excited noises at the very notion of the two being reunited and getting some sort of happy ending.

He quashed it back down. Damnit it.

_"__If the world is going to come to an end, then we need to do everything we can to stop it."_

"Jack," Clint said, "I noticed you and Ianto aren't included in that prophecy."

_"__I think it's because we aren't going to be a part of this Initiative, being as we're not from the Western Lands."_

Yes, Phil thought that made sense. "You also might have your own parts to play."

_"__That's what we thought too, since the Child gave me the prophecy and not anyone else." _His eyes met Clint's, and out of sight Phil found himself taking his lover's hand. _"Clint, I really think you might want to come and meet with her. Whatever destiny you have, it might connect up with what's going to happen." _The immortal's face turned sympathetic. _"I know the last thing you want to do is go back to the traveling show, what with your brother there…"_

"I don't," the Elf admitted, "but you're right. If the UnEarthly Child has anything to say to me, it might have some bearing on this whole world changing thing. And the sooner I hear what she has to say, the better."

"I'll come with you –" Phil began.

"No, Phil." Clint turned to regard him. "You need to get to the Archive and put that Soul Stone out of reach. I can go and get this done, then come home quickly." He leaned over and pressed a light kiss to Phil's lips, making them tingle slightly. "I love you for wanting to come with me, though. I think this is something I need to do on my own. Besides, Nat will be there, and Bobbi and Hunter don't hate me anymore." He tried to make it sound as if he was joking.

"I doubt Bobbi ever really hated you, but there's no guarantee with Hunter." Phil had met them the once, after his farce of a duel with Pierce, and he'd been impressed with both of them. He could certainly understand why Clint would have married her, even though it hadn't last long at all. And she certainly didn't hold it against Phil for taking Clint away from her, which he really had done if one thought too closely about the situation. After all, he'd been mourning Phil when he'd gotten involved with Bobbi, believing that Phil had died, and that had eventually come between the two. Of course Bobbi didn't know that Phil was Clint long-lost love; that didn't really need to be broadcast.

_"__And Toshiko is quite fond of you," _Jack pointed out, laughing. _"She wants to keep you."_

That had Phil laughing as well. "Tell her to keep her hands off my fiancé."

Both men on the other end of the mirror connection grinned in delight. _"That is excellent news!" _Ianto exclaimed. _"Congratulations to you both."_

_"__How did your girls take the news?" _Jack asked.

"They don't know yet," Phil answered. "They're both at the school." He went on explain what Andrew had told them.

Ianto was nodding. _"We'll make an appointment with Headmaster Chesterton about the bullying, although I'm certain he's already taking steps to curb that sort of behavior. Master Ian is against that sort of thing."_

That was good to know. "I would be interested in seeing just what the Headmaster has in mind for any sort of anti-bullying policy he may have. This would also fall under Guild rule, since it's magical children doing the bullying and being bullied."

_"__Exactly. It's good that Daisy caught wind of it happening and is taking her own steps. She's going to be a hard one to stop, once she gets going."_

Phil's heart swelled with pride. His older daughter had a fine sense of what was right, and what was wrong, and had never been afraid to act on those beliefs. She'd grown up to be absolutely amazing, and the Wizard wasn't afraid about taking some of the credit for that.

However, it had also been her own upbringing before he'd found her. Daisy had been through so much, and it had shaped her long before Phil had come on the scene. She would be a remarkable adult, one that would inspire respect and loyalty. Hells, she already was, with the friends she'd gathered around her.

For now, though, it wouldn't do for her to grow up _too_ fast. "I think putting her and her friends on research duty would be a good idea. That way, they would feel involved without actually getting into the thick of things."

Although Phil had this feeling it was going to happen, no matter how much he wanted to keep her out of it. He was just glad that she hadn't shown up in the UnEarthly Child's prophecy. Phil didn't know what he would have done if she had.

_"__That's what I thought, too." _Ianto's grin turned into a fond smile. _"One of these days that young woman is going to come gunning for my job, and I'll be happy to give it to her."_

Phil could see it. Daisy would be the perfect advocate for the Cardinals.

And, suddenly, he could see who would eventually take on _his_ position. "And I suspect Wanda will be right beside her, as Grand Master of Voids."

Ianto laughed delightedly. _"Now, we just need a Great Wizard for Stephen's place."_

"Jemma," Clint was quick to speak up. "And Leo would be there with her."

Phil considered. There wasn't anything in the rules to say there couldn't be dual Grand Masters, so he could absolutely see that happening.

"Alright," the Elf finally said, bringing them all back on subject, "I'll leave for Carson's immediately. I think getting this out of the way quickly is the best for everyone."

"And I'll head to the Secure Archives and put the Soul Stone into the Void," Phil added. "If the UnEarthly Child is correct and all six stones are going to eventually come together, then we should be putting that future off for as soon as possible."

_"__I'll meet you there." _Ianto nodded. _"This time you'll have someone with you in case something goes wrong."_

Phil rolled his eyes at the overprotectiveness of his friends. "Fine."

"Thank you, Ianto," Clint said warmly.

_"__No problem. In about twenty minutes then, Phil?"_

"I'll just see Clint off then join you."

_"__See you then."_

Jack and Ianto faded from view, the mirror returning to its natural state. Phil looked at Clint, seeing the uncertainty yet determination in his lover's eyes, and just had to kiss him.

"I really don't want to do this," Clint sighed once the kiss was done, "but it's necessary."

"You are the bravest man I know. You will be fine. Just listen to what she has to say, and then come home. I should be back by then, and the girls as well I'm thinking." Having a family night in sounded divine, and he knew it would appeal to Clint as well.

"That sounds like a plan. And, while we're down in the casting chamber, you can give me the new wrist guard you had made for me."

"Yes, I can." He wished Clint could be as protected as Phil could make him before sending him off to Carson's, but that would have to wait until he had a moment to get the enchantments done. He really did wish he could go with him, but Clint did have a point…hiding the Soul Stone away was important, and besides, they had no idea how the Child would react if both of them showed up. Would she be willing to explain with both of them there? Or was this something private that she'd need to discuss with Clint? They had no way of knowing.

Besides, Clint wouldn't technically be alone. He had Natasha and the others to look after him if something went wrong, and Phil trusted them to take care of his archer in any situation that may come up. Natasha has been watching Clint's back for years, and would continue to do so.

"Come on, let's get you and Lucky on your way. The sooner you hear what she has to say, the sooner you can come home."

"This is true."

The trip down to the casting chamber was made in silence. Phil really didn't know what to say. Clint was going to face something neither of them had any experience with, and as much as he knew he needed to take care of his own business, sending him off alone was worrying. Oh, he knew the Elf wouldn't be alone for long; he would have their friends waiting for him and, if he knew Jack Harkness at all, then the Deathless would be joining them as well. He hadn't said as much, but there was no doubt in the Wizard's mind that Jack was leaving Ianto now, and heading back to the traveling show, to stand with the temporary team he'd gathered together to watch over the innocents at Carson's.

Besides, Phil knew himself well enough, that if he went with Clint, he could very well end up cursing Barney Barton just on principle, and he didn't want to do that. Clint was perfectly capable of standing up to his older brother, and didn't need Phil taking matters into his own hands.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Phil headed toward the cabinet where he'd kept Wanda's own bracers, opening the door and taking down a box that was far more ornately decorated than his Novice's had been. He ran his fingers over the curlicues that had been carved into the lid of the box, then handed it to Clint, not bothering to even try to hide the shy smile that rose. "I hope you like it."

Clint's face was full or reverent awe as he accepted the box. "Anything you give me, I'm going to love." He flipped it open, revealing the item within.

Phil hadn't done the cutting and carving of the leather; that skill was beyond him. However, the man he'd given the job to had followed the Wizard's directions to the letter, carefully creating the runes to Phil's exact specifications...even if he hadn't gotten around to finishing the casting. It would only take a day to enchant them all, which was also a credit to the immense care that had been taken in creating the bracer.

He had requested that the leather be dyed a deep purple, and it was perfect in Phil's eyes. He was going to give recommendations to anyone who would need such leatherwork done. He was perfectly satisfied with the job he'd detailed, and wasn't going to hide it.

He could, however, get the Teleport spell done immediately since, for him, that was a rather rudimentary magic. It would be basic, getting Clint only to the Keep and to Triskelia Castle, but he could work on it later. He meant to make it like Natasha's open-ended Teleport bracelet, and he'd put in the time on that when he could.

Putting his finger on the particular rune, Phil breathed life into the Teleport spell, activating it. Then he looked up at Clint.

Clint's mouth had dropped open in surprised awe. "Phil…"

"May I?"

His lover – no, his fiancé – nodded, and Phil lifted the bracer off its velvet cushion. He took the now-empty box away and set it down on the nearest surface, then gently grabbed Clint's arm and buckled the bracer on so that the solid surface of the protector was on the inside of his forearm. "How does that feel? Does it pinch anywhere?"

"No," the Elf breathed. "It fits perfectly."

"I'll get the spells on it later, but the Teleport I just did. If there's anything you can think of you might want, just let me know and I'll see if it's feasible. If it is, I can add it to the list."

Clint didn't say anything. Instead, he reeled Phil in for a kiss that had the Wizard moaning, so full of love and need and gratitude that he was practically knocked off his feet by it all. "You are amazing," the Elf breathed against Phil's lips. "You have no idea how much I love you."

Phil didn't say anything. He didn't think anything needed to be said to that.

Once Clint and Lucky were gone, Phil and Lola Teleported themselves to Gateway, knowing that, this time, he wasn't going to need to sneak around and could go directly to the Wizard's Tower. He couldn't just appear inside, but Ianto was waiting for him at the front of the Tower, Myfanwy at his side; the elder dragon greeted Lola effusively, and it sounded like she was congratulating Lola…which Phil was pretty sure wasn't far from the truth.

Ianto's expression was sympathetic and kind. "Clint's going to be just fine. Jack went back as well, so he has a full team at his back. Being friends with them all certainly won't hurt, either."

"I know." And he did…in his head. His heart was having a difficult time of it, though. "We both have our duties and this one is his. Just like what we're doing is mine."

"Come on, then. Let's get this done so we can both go home."

Which made excellent sense.

The trip down to the Secure Archives seemed to go faster during the daytime, the corridors less shadowy and quiet this time around. Of course, the last time Phil had come through this area had been in the dead of night, so that would make the difference…even though these deep areas were just as deserted as they had been the other night. Perhaps it was the fact that he wasn't alone this time, that he was being accompanied by a friend, that was making the difference.

Ianto let them into the Secure Archives, closing and sealing them within as soon as both dragons cleared the threshold. "Are you sure you don't want me to do this to everything else as well?" Phil offered as soon as the various Artifacts' auras pinged his magical senses…especially the locket and the wand, both were incredibly dangerous. The Glove and the Dagger were also…well, creepy wasn't a strong enough word, now that he understood just what they'd been created for.

Ianto smiled slightly. "I think just the Soul Stone for now. We don't want to overload the Void too much with our detritus."

Yes, Phil supposed that was true.

The Soul Stone, set within its silver pendant, lay within its box, where Ianto had stored it. It didn't look all that dangerous on the outside, but its magical aura gave it away. Yes, it was much like the spear's Mind Stone, seemingly innocuous and practically non-magical, but the perception of it had changed now that Phil understood the truth of it.

And there were three more out there…not counting the one that had been somehow grafted to Tony Stark's chest.

Phil didn't even want to contemplate what those other stones did. His imagination was just a little too good and was sure to come up with something perfectly hideous and yet not even close to the truth.

"Gods," Ianto sighed, "I was so naïve about magic back when I first found that thing in the Torchwood Archives, and it had cost one of my apprentices their life. I will never forgive myself for that."

Phil couldn't say anything about _that_. He understood where Ianto was coming from, even though he'd never run into the exact same circumstance himself. However, he did sympathize with being young and stupid, and had the trail of death and destruction to prove it.

"When I open the Void Point, do you want to throw it in yourself?" He figured he could give Ianto at least that bit of closure.

"That would be my genuine pleasure." Going over to the desk, he slipped on a pair of gloves so he wouldn't need to touch the thing skin to skin, which Phil thoroughly approved of.

Reaching out with both hands, Phil gently pulled the Veil apart, revealing the Void behind it. This time, it seemed to be a bit more difficult, but that was a good thing. Phil didn't want it getting so easy that he could do it at whim; he was powerful, but he didn't want to be so powerful that he could do things he shouldn't. To be honest, opening Void Points wasn't something _anyone_ should be able to do, and it was a tribute to the Void that it was allowing him to do so in this case.

When he'd done it with Alexander Pierce, it was done in the cause of Void justice. The Void had found Pierce guilty of twisting its very essence to his own purposes, and he deigned to name its own punishment, with Phil as its Champion carrying out the Void's will.

When he'd banished the spear, he'd done it almost on instinct, but at the same time he'd understood that the Void was fine with what he'd intended. It had also been alright with him retrieving it for Ianto to scan; that was how he'd found it so very quickly. The Void had accepted the spear back readily, which had been a boon to everyone who'd been affected by it.

This time, though, it was as if the Void wasn't quite sure that this was the best course. They couldn't let anyone get their hands on any of the stones, and the Secure Archives were practically warded against any and all intrusion, but the Soul Stone was just as dangerous as the Mind Stone, and it needed to be put away as far from casual reach as possible.

Mentally, Phil apologized to the Void for doing it, but they needed to make certain that the Soul Stone could never be used.

A small voice at the back of his mind wondering if doing this would be enough, if the UnEarthly Child had actually foreseen a time with these six Artifacts were together once more. He shoved it back down, not needing the distraction.

Ianto picked up the pendant and, with an underhand throw, tossed it into the Void. The moment it passed the tear, Phil was weaving it back together, healing the breach he'd created, apologizing again for his presumption.

"I feel better that it's out of the way," Ianto sighed, removing his gloves. "Thank you for that."

"You're welcome. But I got the impression that the Void wasn't at all certain that was the right thing to do."

"Oh? I hope nothing untoward happens because of something I asked you to do."

Phil shook his head. "I just won't be able to do it again for a while. It was fine with the spear, but the Soul Stone…not so much. The Void isn't going to punish me or anything, but I think opening up the Veil should be a final resort anymore."

"Agreed. Let's get out of here. I could use a coffee…"

As they left the Secure Archive and resealed the room, the speaking stone Phil carried with him because chirping insistently. As he dug it out of his pocket, Ianto said, "No signals get through while we're in the Archive room, so I don't know how long that's been trying to get your attention."

Phil didn't respond to that. Instead, he activated the stone. "Yes?"

_"__Phil," _Melinda's urgent voice echoed off the stone of the walls, _"you need to come home, now. Lockjaw just teleported a distraught Crystal back…Phil, it's Hydra. They have Daisy."_


	53. Chapter 53

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve couldn't believe how lucky he was to have Bucky back with him, even if his best friend didn't remember him.

Oh, there were flashes. Buck could recall some things, but not most of the time they'd spent together as children, and then as adults. Still, Steve had hope that, someday, if they didn't all come back then the two of them could build something new between them. Their friendship wouldn't be totally destroyed.

There was a tiny part of him that was hoping for something more, but he wasn't about to risk Bucky just because he'd had such feelings for his best friend for so long.

Bucky had wanted to go with him to Triskelia, and Steve had been thrilled. He would need to report in with the Baron about what he'd learned from Jack and Ianto, but afterward he was planning on showing his best friend around the town, perhaps pick up a few things he'd need, like clothes and such. Buck had also said something about getting a haircut, and Steve had readily agreed to take him to the barber that Steve himself used. It would be good to see a little more of his friend back, and losing all that long hair would be a step in that direction.

"So," Baron Nick drawled, as the two of them met with him and Mistress Maria in the Baron's sitting room, "this is Sir James Barnes."

"That's what they tell me, Your Grace," Bucky answered, just a tinge of sarcasm in his response.

The Baron laughed. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure."

"So," Mistress Maria put in, looking a little put out at being interrupted at whatever it was they'd been doing. Steve wasn't sure he wanted to know. "Just what was so important that you needed to see us right away? It's not to introduce us to your new friend, I'm sure."

Steve was a bit used to Mistress Maria's caustic attitude by now, but he was still nettled by her words. "I'm sure I'd never interrupt anything important for a trivial matter, Mistress Maria."

The Baron snorted as the Wizard huffed. "You did ask for that one, Maria."

"I suppose I did," she admitted grudgingly.

"Let's hear it then." Baron Nick leaned back in his chair, wineglass in hand, looking very relaxed in casual clothing…and he wasn't wearing his customary boots, his toes wriggling in black socks.

It was somewhat disconcerting.

Steve ignored all that, instead explaining what he'd discovered from Jack about the prophecy, and about who the UnEarthly Child had seen would become the Avengers team that the Baron was working on. Bucky stood off to the side, watching and listening, and Steve took strength in his presence at his back.

When he was done, any and all humor that had been showing in Baron Nick's face was gone, replaced by consternation. Mistress Maria, who had been seated on one of the sofas, the better to have Iliad resting his head in her lap, looked as if she'd just sucked on a lemon. "I've heard a lot of the stories told about the UnEarthly Child, and I'll be honest…I wasn't inclined to believe them, but that was before I investigated myself. She's the real deal…as much as I hate to admit that. If she's saying that the world is going to be cracked apart, then we need to believe it and find a way to stop it."

"These stones," the Baron said, "do we know anything more about them?"

"Just the three," Steve answered. He'd told them about Ianto knowing the whereabouts of those three, but not the others. "I don't have any other details than that; you'd have to speak to Ianto about them. I get the feeling he wants to keep them secret until absolutely necessary." Which was why he didn't explain about one of the stones being the Artifact that was keeping Baron Tony alive, as well as the veiled comments about the others. Steve had his suspicions, that Grand Master Phil had done something with them to hide them away, and definitely approved of that. As much as he knew Phil trusted his oldest friend, Steve thought it should be the Grand Master's decision to share what he'd done.

"That's understandable. The less people know about those damned stones, the less of a chance the knowledge gets out about them." He leaned forward. "And what about this foretelling about the Avengers?"

Steve considered. "I don't think I'd have an issue working with any of them. After all, Baron Tony seems to be working toward a set of armor that he can adapt to use magic. I genuinely like Clint. I don't know Natasha all that well, but I've seen her around, and I honestly believe she could kick my ass and not break a sweat. I've met Thor, and he seems an honorable sort, even though he's not a citizen I can see him working with us as long as Loki's involved in events. Doctor Banner…I have no idea about these curses he's under, but if they can be used to fight, then I'm all for him joining up. As for Phil…I would be honored to fight alongside him, especially after everything he's done for me and for Bucky. I believe he'll be the one that will be the hardest to convince, though."

"You'd have _that_ right." The Baron leaned back once more. "Phil is still adapting to being out in the public eye, so to speak. Man was damned near a hermit before Hydra forced him out of the shadows; you have no idea how many times I'd tried to convince him to be my Court Wizard, and he refused every time. Oh, he'd help out here and there, but he never took on the position officially."

There was an expression on Mistress Maria's face that Steve didn't like, but he knew she'd never tell him why she didn't like the Void Grand Master. Steve had observed her over the course of his short time as Knights' Commander, and had noticed that she'd had some strong opinions on certain subjects. He'd also seen her around Phil and his family, and it was as if she was watching, to see if something _happened_. And it wasn't necessarily a good sort of watching.

He was aware that Phil had a past that he didn't like to talk about. That there were things he'd done that he wasn't proud of. Steve could understand; everyone had those, but it was almost as if Mistress Maria held Phil's past against him, when no one else seemed to do the same. It made him wonder if he'd done something that involved _her_ in some way, and that she was holding some sort of grudge against him for it. And that the Baron was aware of what it was, and wouldn't tolerate that from her even though they were engaged to be married.

By that alone, it was apparent that Phil and Baron Nick were great friends. Steve would not have hesitated to say that it was much like the friendship between himself and Buck, only without the hidden pining. They had been through a lot together, had seen things that had made them brothers-in-arms, and Steve had to respect that.

Whatever Mistress Maria held against Phil Coulson, Steve wasn't about to ask. He had no need to know. It was what a man did in the present that he cared about; how their actions now, were what reflected what was within their hearts. And Phil was a good man, that Steve was certain of. He'd saved Steve but, what was even more important, he'd saved Buck. That was all that was important.

Steve did wish the man trusted him enough to share, but there was also that niggling doubt that trust had anything to do about it. Just from his observations, he knew that Phil was _ashamed_ of that past, and wanted to move past it, to forget that it was even there and to live his life as it was now.

Well, if anyone could understand something like that, it was Steve Rogers. Steve wanted to move past being the Paladin, although Baron Nick wanted him to take up the mantel once more, for the Avengers. The only difference would be, this time, no one would know who was behind the armor. As far as anyone would be concerned, the Paladin was someone else chosen by the Council of Barons to take up the shield. And Steve was pretty sure he could live with that.

"I take it Grand Master Ianto is gonna arrange for research into these stones?" the Baron inquired.

Steve nodded. "He wants to put Daisy Coulson and her friends on the research end of things. After all, they did manage to find the original spell diagram for Buck's cursed arm."

"And it would keep those kids out of trouble," he concluded.

"Exactly, Sir."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Make Daisy feel like she's contributing without putting her into the line of fire."

"I didn't think it was such a good idea." It was the first time in the meeting that Bucky'd said anything. "I don't want to see those children involved."

"I get that," the Baron agreed. "But my niece would just put herself into things anyway, and at least she'd be in less danger hidden away in the Archives than on the front lines. She's far too headstrong for her own good, really. This way, her involvement can be controlled and we can watch out for her."

Steve supposed that made sense. Bucky didn't look happy, but he got why. Daisy and her friends had basically saved him, and they were children to boot. Also, some of what went on at Hydra's house would have also bled into that decision; after all, he'd been responsible for keeping Daisy and Clint prisoners, from what he'd been told. That guilt, even though he'd been under Hydra's control, would have been weighing heavily on him.

Plus, he was now Daisy's Uncle James. Bucky would take his responsibility to that title seriously.

So would Steve.

"We need to be ready," Baron Nick declared. "We should contact the people you want on the team, Rogers. Get them prepared for what's to come…whatever the hells that's gonna be."

"I hope you're prepared _now_," a voice came from the Baron's bedroom doorway.

Melinda May stood there, looking about as pissed off as Steve had ever seen her…which, to be honest, he really hadn't seen her in this sort of mood before.

She was dressed head-to-toe in black: black leather trousers, tunic, and boots. She seemed to be unarmed, but, in that moment, Steve understood that the Steward of Shield Keep was as deadly as Natasha Romanov was, without needing the weapons that anyone else would have needed to project that image.

This was so very different from the Steward who ran Shield Keep so effortlessly. She might have always looked severe, but Steve had seen the good humor and calmness in his eyes, which was missing now. Now, she was coiled and ready to fight, her gaze discerning, and the Knight decided then and there that he never wanted her furious at him.

Baron Nick was on his feet. "What's going on, Mel?"

"Hydra has Daisy." It was said in a perfectly flat tone, even as Steward Melinda's eyes were glittering dangerously.

Steve's heart clenched in his chest, anger blooming there so strongly it felt like his heart was burning from it. Hydra had taken Daisy. How had they managed to do that? He would have thought she would have been too well-protected after she'd gotten kidnapped the first time. How had Hydra gotten to her so easily?

From behind him, he could hear a low growl from Bucky. Steve wanted to do the same thing himself. Daisy might not have been a blood relative, but he cared for her, and would help to do whatever it took to get her back.

"Shit! What the hell happened?" Baron Nick had never looked so…well, furious, before. And Steve had watched him wrangle idiots who'd come before the Court over the silliest things. This was so much worse, but then Daisy was as much his niece as she was Steve's and Bucky's, if moreso based on the fact that he'd known her longer.

"From what we were able to get out of Crystal, she and Daisy went to visit with one of the girls from the school, who got into trouble for fighting a couple of bullies. It turned out, that kid wasn't as innocent as Daisy believed, because when they Teleported to her home, both Catherine and Ruby Hale were there…and a black-haired man dressed in green, with a green and black dragon. Crystal said he was like her."

"Loki." The sheer rage in the Baron's voice sent a shiver down Steve's spine, even as he could completely understand where it was coming from.

"Exactly."

"How did Crystal get home?" Bucky demanded.

"Her dragon can teleport on his own. Daisy sent Lockjaw and Crystal home."

"But why didn't she come home as well?"

Melinda shrugged. "I don't know that. What I _do_ know, is that Phil borrowed Lockjaw and went after Daisy, and Crystal went with them. He was carrying a tracker, said that Mistress Maria would be able to use it." She handed over what looked like a compass.

And of course Phil had gone after her. He'd seen how protective the Grand Master was of his eldest daughter…of both his daughters. So, he wasn't exactly sure how Crystal had ended up going with him, since Steve was pretty sure he would have left the little girl home once he'd learned that it was Hydra and Loki behind the kidnapping.

Mistress Maria nodded, turning the compass over in her long fingers. "Yes, I can use this to home in on the Grand Master." She looked irritated and impressed at the same time.

Steve was also on his feet. "Let me get my sword and we'll go and get them out." There was no way he was going to let Hydra keep Daisy for any longer than absolutely necessary; nor was he about to leave Phil in a situation that had him pitted against Hydra. It didn't matter how powerful he was.

"I'm coming too." Bucky spoke with a deadly calm, and Steve wasn't about to get in his way.

"Alert your team, Sir Steven," Baron Nick ordered. "The Avengers are going with you."


	54. Chapter 54

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint materialized on the hill overlooking Carson's, Lucky at his side.

Nothing looked to be out of place, but that wasn't surprising. What was going to happen concerned only him, and life would go on around them despite what he was about to learn.

He didn't know why he should have some sort of destiny. He was just an Elf, an orphan, one who'd managed to escape a shitty life and to end up engaged to a man he'd loved for years and with daughters and eventually more children on the way. Sure, he had a dragon, and was the only non-Wizard to ever have gotten one, but that was more because of his sense of compassion toward dragons than any specialness on his part.

As if sensing his thoughts – which, well, connection – Lucky growled a little at him, nudging him with his snout and huffing disgustingly. Clint could tell he was upset that the Elf didn't think of himself as special, and he reached down to rub his friend across the head. "Yeah, I know your opinion, bud," he murmured. "But you're biased."

"He's a dragon," Jack's voice said, "he's supposed to be biased."

Clint turned, giving Jack a welcoming smile as his friend stepped up beside him. "Thanks."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Just…thanks." It was too hard to put it into words. Jack was there, when he could have stayed in Gateway with Ianto. He'd taken it upon himself to keep a lookout on the traveling show, when it had been Clint's decision to involve them in this Hydra hunt. There was too much in all that to really say it all out loud.

Jack seemed to get it, though. "Shit happens. And that's why you have friends."

"I couldn't have put it better myself." He squared his shoulders. "Let's go and get this over with."

With that, he headed down toward the traveling show grounds, Jack in step next to him. He really didn't want to hear what the UnEarthly Child had to say; he was, to be honest, scared, although he didn't know why.

Back when he was a mercenary on the road, traveling with Natasha, and then the Dark One and Marcus Johnson, his path was pretty straightforward: do the job, do it well, get paid, and then move on. Being in love with the Dark One had been just one of his many secrets, and he'd ignored it because there'd been no way that Phil had been in love with him.

He'd loved and lost, and moved on, which had been far more difficult than even he'd guessed it would be…just ask Bobbi, who'd apparently guessed fairly early on in their marriage that Clint had been in love when someone else. That had been a shock when she'd admitted as much, but she hadn't known that this person Clint had had such feelings for had been dead. She'd left him because he'd been pining, and hadn't really been _in_ love with her…hells, she hadn't really been in love with him, either, being on the rebound from Lance Hunter.

Life had been pretty easy, despite the heartaches. Clint had never expected to be participating in such events as what he was now. Being engaged to the Grand Master of Voids, for one. He couldn't think of a single thing in his life that had led him to deserve to have the love of a good man, and two wonderful daughters and the possibility of more children someday. This was a dream come true, and he was living the best life possible.

And yet, it had led him to this moment. To having a destiny he'd never wanted nor needed, and facing a brother who'd betrayed him and left him for dead.

Life was funny sometimes…and not in a humorous way.

Natasha met them halfway to the camp. She looped her arm through his, lending him her support much like Jack had done. "I know this is hard on you," she murmured just loud enough for his Elvish hearing to pick up. "I've made certain that Barney has cleared off. You do not even have to see him."

Clint was pitifully grateful to her for that, even as he knew he would have to face his bastard of a brother again at some point. Barney had said a lot of things, things that Clint had needed to think about, and he hadn't gotten it all straight yet. Knowing that Barney had come back for him, had tried to look for him, did quite a lot to settle much of the roiling hatred he'd felt for the only family he'd had left back then. It certainly didn't help with everything, because Barney should never have betrayed him in the first place. Clint wasn't anywhere close to ready to forgive him for anything just yet.

Toshiko, Bobbi, and Hunter were all waiting outside one of the wagons. His fellow Elf was leaning nonchalantly against the side of the brightly painted wood, her bow in her hands, eyes watching as they approached. Clint had come to love Toshiko much in the same way he loved Nat, figuring this was what having a sister felt like. They hadn't known each other for long, but there was just something about the elder Elf that had the archer relaxing around her, trusting her in ways he didn't do with a majority of people. And, if what Jack had claimed earlier over the speaking mirror had been true, Toshiko felt the same way about him.

Clint was still trying to work out exactly how he felt about Bobbi and Hunter. Oh, he would always love Bobbi, just not in the way she deserved. Hunter was much better at that then Clint had been, and he wished them nothing but good fortune in their own relationship. Clint hadn't exactly treated Bobbi all that well, but it hadn't been on purpose, and she seemed to understand that…had even forgiven him for it. Hunter had been jealous of their past connection until he'd heard that Clint was committed to someone else, and he'd thawed ever since.

"We'll keep watch out here," Toshiko said as they approached. "I figure you'd want privacy for this."

That was true, but Clint didn't want to be alone with the UnEarthly Child. The very notion of it was creeping him out, and he hadn't even met her yet. "I'd like Nat to come in with me."

Natasha nodded. "I would also suggest Jack, since he has the most experience in this."

"Not as much as you'd think," the immortal snorted, "but if you want me to, Clint, I'll be glad to sit in."

"Yeah, I think I do." Anything to spare being by himself while whatever prophecy is laid out on him by an eternal Seer who only seems to speak in riddles.

"Hunter and I will take a tour of the grounds and watch out for trouble," Bobbi volunteered. She grabbed her lover by the sleeve and dragged him off, for once Hunter not arguing about being hauled away.

"And I'll make sure you're not disturbed," Toshiko said. Slinging her bow over the quiver at her back, she used handholds to climb up to the roof of the wagon, to what would have been the best vantage point.

"Then," Clint was suddenly tired, "let's get this over with."

With that statement, he took the steps up, throwing open the door and making his way into the back of the wagon.

It was the basic sort of traveling caravan except this one had an immortal child seated on the right-side couch, a small table pulled up in front of her, desk of ancient cards sitting in a neat pile, face down, on its top, the colorful backs faded with age and wear.

If he'd passed her on the street, the UnEarthly Child wouldn't have caused him to look twice. She was tiny, and pale, with dark hair and dark eyes, her clothes a little old-fashioned and a bit threadbare, but there was nothing to point out that she was an ancient Seer who was about as old as Jack Harkness was, only in a little girl's body. She was smiling as she watched Clint come in, her small hand making a motion toward the cushion next to her.

Clint accepted the offered seat, letting himself give her a good looking over. She might have seemed distressingly normal on first glance, but his Elven sight was telling him something completely different, even if he couldn't actually _see_ the magic that lived within her. Her aura was so very miniscule she almost didn't have one, and yet it was obvious that she was a very powerful being, all hidden behind the façade of a little girl.

That was frightening in ways the archer simply didn't know how to communicate.

"So," he began, not even trying to hide his nervousness, "what sort of riddles do you have for me?"

The UnEarthly Child laughed, a childish tinkling that was like tiny bells. "You know my methods. I suppose I must thank the Deathless for that."

Jack shrugged. He didn't bother to deny it.

"Yes," she continued, "my prophecies are often couched in riddles; however, that is more to the fact that this is how I _see_ such things, not because it is something I choose to do." She turned toward him, facing him fully. "However, today I shall be plain, the better for you to understand, so that you may make an educated decision in this." She grinned; it was dark and full of promise. "Do not get used to it. It shall not happen again."

Clint didn't know what was more scary…the riddles, or the complete lack thereof. He glanced over at Natasha, who had taken a place on the couch opposite, and she raised a single eyebrow in commiseration.

"We need to begin with a little history lesson. I believe you know of how the Deathless came to be."

The Elf nodded, a little confused. Why would he need to know about Jack's origins? Sure, he'd heard all about it; after Jack Harkness had come out as being the mythical Deathless, the true story had gotten around, of demons and magic and eternal life. It contradicted so many of the ancient songs that historians and bards both had had conniptions about it, and apparently the arguments had been epic.

"It was a bit more complicated than even Captain Harkness knows."

Jack started at that, from where he'd been leaning against the wall, watching everything closely. "How?" he demanded.

She gave him a sunny smile. "To understand that, then you must understand the basic natures of the universal Lifeforce and Deathforce."

Suddenly, Clint wished that Phil _had_ come with him. There wasn't anyone more knowledgeable about the Void than his lover, and he would have been able to fact check what the Child was about to tell them.

As if reading his very thoughts, the girl said, "Not even the Champions know everything that I do, Master Archer. They are so very young, and have not seen what I have in my long life."

Alright, he supposed that made sense.

"As everyone is aware," she began, her voice almost hypnotic in the silence of the wagon, "there is a balance to all things. The Deep Ways, or the Lifeforce, is balanced by the Void, or the Deathforce. Most learned people think that calling them by those second titles is being simplistic, but it is actually quite accurate."

She raised her hands, palms upward. "Every living being in the world has a spark of the Lifeforce within them." Her right hand hovered a little higher than the left. "It is what animates our bodies to life. Now, the majority of individuals only have enough of this Lifeforce to give them the semblance of living, or else everyone would be a limited form of Deathless with a greatly extended lifespan." She dropped her hands into her lap.

Alright, that made sense, and Clint said so.

"It was this Lifeforce that Lady Rose Tyler tore from the Nameless Demons over a thousand years ago. When she proved not strong enough to dissipate it back into the Deep Ways themselves, it contaminated the site that is now the new Gateway…and a thousand thousand of those stolen lives were forcibly shoved into James Harper, who became the Deathless as a result, in an effort to save his life.."

Jack was nodding. "So that's how many deaths I have before I can die the final time."

"Indeed, Deathless. I am very much afraid you have a long way to go yet."

"Yeah, but at least there's an ending at some point."

"There is." She nodded seriously. "But you have so many things yet to do before that end."

"I know, believe me." There was a sort of tragic acceptance in his tone, one that made Clint want to reach out and hug him. He refrained, because he didn't think Jack would appreciate it much, not in front of the freaky little kid.

The UnEarthly Child turned back to Clint. "However, no one realizes just what part the Deathforce played in those events, and in the creation of the one who balances the Deathless."

"You." Clint was saying it before he could rein himself in, because that really didn't need to be said.

However, the Child nodded as if he hadn't just stated the obvious. "When we die, the Lifeforce within us leaves our bodies and rejoins the Deep Ways, even as our souls are consigned to whatever of the Heavens or Hells we are destined to go. This would leave an empty place within us that would have been filled by more of the Lifeforce – it is made to create life, and death is anathema to it – if not for the Deathforce, which then takes the place of the Lifeforce, to prevent such a resurrection from happening."

There was dawning understanding on Jack's face. "Which is what happens when I resurrect. All of that Lifeforce within me…it doesn't leave any room for the Deathforce to inhabit."

"Yes, exactly."

"I'd always thought it was the Deep Ways that brought me back," he marveled, "but now I know it's a bit more than that." He looked at her askance. "You could have just told me that, the times we've run into each other."

"And ruin my reputation for obfuscation and mystery?" she teased. Once again, her attention was back on Clint. "However, when Lady Rose pulled the Lifeforce so forcefully from all of those demons, it reduced their bodies to ash. Which would not have been an issue if it had been only a handful of the creatures; however, it was far more than that. There was no place within for the Deathforce to inhabit, and so the Void that had been summoned by all of those deaths had no place to go. It was caught up in Lady Rose's miscast spell as well, and found a home…within me. I was in Gateway at the time, and was a perfect home for it."

"Why you?" Natasha inquired. Clint wanted to know that as well; she was a child, for crying out loud, and hadn't deserved becoming a vessel for the Void.

The Child looked amused by the question. "Because, even then, I was not what I appeared to be."

Suddenly, that little girl shape began to waver, like Clint was seeing it through a heat haze. It stretched and elongated, and when it faded away an Elven woman was seated where the UnEarthly Child had been.

She had shoulder-length brown hair, and dark eyes. Her face was ageless in the way of many of the Elvish races, and her clothing was more up to date than what the Child had been wearing. Her lovely face still had that amused expression that the Child had been wearing. "As you can see, I am not who I put forward to the world." She stood, bowing. "Lady Ashildr, of the Einarr Enclave…which no longer exists. I am the last of my clan."

Jack's jaw was pretty much on the floor…along with Clint's, because this was the very last thing he'd been expecting. To discover that this mystic child was actually an adult…it made him a bit less angry at the universe. He'd been horrified that a little girl had been made the balance for the Deathless, so to know that that was all an illusion…

"And why would you create this illusion, anyway?" Jack wanted to know.

"Because," Ashildr answered, "people do not look twice at a child. And it lends me a certain anonymity when I travel, as the UnEarthly Child has a certain reputation and a strange Elf does not."

Yeah, Clint could see that.

She took her seat once more, not bothering to hide behind her illusion anymore.

"I have a question," Natasha cut in.

Lady Ashildr nodded in acknowledgement.

"If Master John Smith's spell had completely succeeded in cutting off all magic, would that have meant that every single life in the world would have ended?"

The Elven woman's features turned grave. "Yes. That spell would have blocked the Lifeforce and the Deathforce from replacing each other within mortals, as the Gods intended."

"Shit," Jack whistled. "And I'm sure John didn't know that at the time, because it was obvious that he'd believed he'd done the right thing." Then his own face turned considering. "It makes me also wonder if the Wizards who gave him that spell in the first place had known what it would have done, and had hoped to destroy the world instead of saving it."

"We will never know," Lady Ashildr replied. "Master John meant no harm. You and I are the only ones who saved this world from utter destruction, Deathless. We remembered, and we kept that memory from closing off magic from everything, allowing it to break free once more many centuries later."

"You said you were in Gateway. Were you at the battle?"

She nodded. "I was a member of the ruling Council of Gateway when Master John came before us in order to give us his plan for defeating the Nameless Demons. You can imagine my surprise when I found myself mysteriously surviving the last battle."

"I don't have to imagine," Jack snarked.

Lady Ashildr nodded, conceding the point.

"I'm sorry I don't remember you," Jack admitted.

"Do not be. The only reason I remember you, was because of my visions of you and your exploits."

Would that be Phil one day, having lived so long that he would begin to forget things? Would he forget Clint? Or Daisy? Or Crystal? Or any of the children they may have over the years? That… Clint didn't want to even consider that sort of thing. It made his heart hurt.

"Why didn't you ever say anything before now?" Jack sounded plaintive.

Clint got it, he really did. Both of them being immortal, carrying on throughout the centuries…they could have been friends, or lovers, or anything they might have needed each other to be. Being immortal had to have been lonely for both of them, until Jack had found Ianto and had realized that he would live as long as Jack himself would.

Ashildr looked apologetic. "I couldn't. I am truly sorry I could not ease your loneliness, or allowed you to ease mine, but I have always ever been the slave of my prophecies, no matter what I may have wanted for myself. Besides, you have always been meant for greater things, and to be the bondmate of the Cardinal Champion. Nothing could get in the way of that."

She turned back to Clint. "But we are here to talk about your destiny, Master Archer. And my history lesson was necessary in order for you to understand it."

"I have to admit, I don't have any real clue what all this has to do with some sort of destiny I'm supposed to have." He really was puzzled about the whole thing.

"I will get to that." Ashildr gave him an almost sunny smile. "Just a little more, and then you will have an understanding of my own destiny in this."

Clint thought he could wait that long. After all, the last thing he wanted was to be even more confused than he already was.

"Now," Lady Ashildr went on, "the Deathless is the way he is because the Lifeforce squeezes the Deathforce out. I am the way I am because the Deathforce is keeping my own Lifeforce from extinguishing due to advanced age. If my body only held Deathforce, I would be the undead, and I can assure you I'm not that."

"So," Clint wanted to figure this out, "you're so full of Void that the Deep Ways can't leave?" That didn't sound right at all.

"Yes, basically. You see, when we die, the Lifeforce goes back to the Deep Ways. However, because the two forces are diametrically opposite, the Lifeforce cannot escape from me, and the Deathforce helps in keeping me young and practically immortal. It is not the same as being Deathless, but close enough."

"I'd wondered about that," Jack said. "Because you didn't seem like you were dead and walking around. You breathe, and eat, and I assume you sleep and such."

"Yes, I do. And, I can assure you, I am not a lich."

"There are such things as liches?" Natasha asked. She looked intrigued, which meant she was going to see about hunting such a thing up to see if she could kill it despite its undead state. Clint had heard of them as well, but had scoffed at the very notion of dead people walking around and interacting with the living. To him, it ranked up with vampires and weres…as stories that were meant to scare little kids and be told around campfires.

"Daffyd told us stories of the lost timeline he was from," Jack told them, "and there was a friend of his there who was a lich. He'd tried to create himself a Void version of the Deathless and had failed miserably. From what Daffyd said, this Wizard, Omega Patrexes, was a walking skeleton kept ambulatory by the Void."

Well, shit.

That…sounded awful. Clint shivered at the idea of a skeleton, walking around and unable to die. That was truly horrific. "And this guy thought that was a really good idea?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, I'm pretty sure he hadn't meant to get the outcome he did."

"I should hope not!" That was gruesome, really. So much for his being sure liches were fables.

Then he had another thought. "But what about Phil and Ianto? I mean, I'm pretty sure they aren't like you and Jack."

"No, they are not. The Champions are the way they are because of their connection to the Deep Ways and the Void, and that connection continually feeding their magic into their very bodies. That connection is what allows them to be so powerful, and grants them long lives. In essence, the Lifeforce and the Deathforce will not allow them to die."

That verified what Clint had understood, from Phil's explanations of how the Void was such a large part of him. It was good to know that his lover had been correct about that.

"I have long known that I am but a placeholder," Ashildr took up her story once more. "For as long as I've lived, I've had visions of the Cardinal and the Void Champions, and of their bondmates. When the time came, I would give up my own immortality to the bondmate of the Void Champion, the Archer, the one who would be the first to have a dragon companion and yet was not a Wizard."

It took Clint a few heartbeats to catch up with what Lady Ashildr was saying. When he did… "What the hells?" he couldn't help but blurt out in utter shock.

She couldn't be saying what Clint had heard. That she…that he… "What the hells?" he repeated, just because it seemed like a good idea.

"How is that possible?" Jack demanded, asking the very question the Elf wanted to but was too busy being shocked to get out.

Being immortal…it just didn't make sense. It was impossible. There wasn't any way that Ashildr could give up being the Void version of the Deathless just because she felt like it! And to give that sort of shit to him? To Clint Barton? Didn't she have any idea what she was offering?

And yet…

It would mean Phil would never lose him. That Clint would be there when everyone else had gone, to support his lover and husband in the centuries to come.

Absently, he stroked the bracer on his wrist, the engagement gift that that Phil had given him just that morning. Until just in that heartbeat, Clint had had the thought in the back of his mind that he would, one day, be buried with that leather strap, and that Phil would leave him behind. That they would have centuries, the length of an Elven lifespan, and then they would be separated for the rest of eternity.

He could barely hear the response that Lady Ashildr gave, something about the Deathforce not belonging to her, and that it was ready to move on. And no, Jack wouldn't be able to do the same thing, because while she had been his opposite, what she also was, was a little different from being Deathless. She may have been created by the same event, and that the universal Lifeforce was the antithesis of the Deathforce, but that did not mean her form of immortality was on the same par as Jack's Deathlessness. That the Void within her was calling out to its true host, the lover of the Void Champion, and that it had been meant ever since she'd gotten caught in the backlash of Lady Rose's chaotic use of a spell she should never have been able to wield.

A small hand rested on his shoulder, and the archer glanced up to see Natasha's worried face. "Are you alright?" she murmured against the backdrop of Ashildr and Jack's escalating discussion.

"I think that's a really silly thing to ask, Nat." He was far from alright. Clint was a mess of hope and terror and excitement and all sorts of other emotions he just couldn't process. He would never have to leave Phil alone, not ever. They could have the same forever that Jack and Ianto had.

But would Phil want that? Yes, he knew that the man he loved was so very afraid of losing Clint one day. That they didn't have as long as they should have had. That it was going to destroy his lover when the day came that he lost those he loved. The very last thing Clint wanted to do was cause Phil pain, and that was going to be the foregone conclusion at some point in the future.

Then there was the link that was forming between them. Clint had been terrified that, when he died, that link would hurt Phil irreparably. That it was a bad thing, because it would lead to so much more pain than his lover would feel when the Elf eventually had to leave permanently. But now, that link would have a chance to grow, to bind them together even stronger than if Clint was only a simple mortal. Shouldn't he take that chance?

If what Lady Ashildr said was true, that he'd always been meant to take her place as the opposite of the Deathless…

He just couldn't process it. It was too much. It was the last thing he'd ever expected and the first thing he'd wished for in his entire life.

"Nat…" he met her eyes. He wanted to ask her what he should do, should he take the chance on this, or remain mortal and risk Phil losing him someday?

It wasn't as easy a decision as it should have been. It should have all come down to being with Phil forever. And yet, this was Clint's life as well. How would he handle still loving throughout the thousands of years he'd have, if this was what he chose to do? Yes, he'd have Phil, and there was Ianto and Jack as well, but could he handle that sort of permanency?

"Jack."

He was interrupting what looked to become a major fight between Jack and Ashildr, and yet Clint didn't feel guilty about it one bit. He needed answers, and the two people standing in front of him, getting into each other's faces, were the ones with those answers.

The immortal stopped the argument, turning away from Ashildr to look at Clint. There was such pain and anger and regret and fear in Jack's eyes, it was like being struck a solid blow.

"Clint, I…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I wouldn't wish immortality on my worst enemy. It's long centuries of losing every single thing you love. Having to hide what you are because there are assholes out there who think you're unnatural. Watching the world change around you, and having to adapt to those changes. Fighting in wars, and seeing the worst in the people around you. Being absolutely alone because you can't risk anyone discovering your secret. To forgetting more than you would ever remember.

"Yes, I have Ianto now. And Phil, as a friend. But they aren't even fully immortal; they can sever their connections to the magic at any time they choose."

Wait…what? Phil could do that? Did Phil know about that? If he did, he hadn't said a word about it…although it made sense, what with how they were connected to their magicks. Clint wondered if Phil would have done that, once the Elf was gone. He shuddered to think about it.

"You would have to go on, long after they were gone. There would be no escape from it, not until whatever was keeping you alive ran out. It's a form of hell, Clint.

"But." A small, sincere smile spread across Jack's face, lighting it from within. "The wonders I've seen. I never would have met Ianto if I'd died back during the Battle of Gateway. We never would have had Eirlys, or our grandchildren, or the chance of more children later on. I never would have had the love of my life if not for this curse. You would have Phil beside you, and your family will be your joy and your sorrow because, one day, you'll lose Daisy and Crystal and any other kids you might have. But the feeling of family…it's fulfilling in ways I just can't describe, although I think you're beginning to figure that out."

Clint was. The very idea of family hadn't been something he'd ever thought he'd have and yet, in just a few short weeks, he'd gained so much. He wanted more than anything to live to see Daisy come into her full strength, to watch Crystal grow into a confident Wizard, and to have a child with Phil who would follow in their footsteps, to become more than they ever could even with all the time in the universe.

"It's your decision, Clint." Jack's eyes cleared, determination rising within their depths. "You know Ianto and I will support whatever one you make. But you should really talk to Phil about this before you make your choice. He deserves to have a say in this."

"He's right," Natasha agreed. "This involves Phil as much as you. I would also add Daisy into that discussion as well."

They were both right. "I don't even know how this would work," he admitted.

"It would not be easy," Ashildr replied. "And I would certainly understand if you chose not to do this right now. Take some time to consider all of your options."

Her form shimmered once more, and the UnEarthly Child appeared in Ashildr's place. "I have seen the future," that oddly cadenced little girl's voice proclaimed, "I know what is meant to be. However, that does not mean that you cannot choose differently." She smiled. "We'll see each other again, Clint Barton. For now, you have a battle to win."

With that rather cryptic final word, the Child vanished in mid-air.

In the heartbeat since her disappearance, Clint's speaking stone chimed for his attention.

_"__Clint," _Andrew's voice responded once the archer had the presence of mind to answer, _"you need to go to Triskelia at once. Hydra and Loki have Daisy, and Phil's stormed off to save her."_


	55. Chapter 55

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy took a look around the moment she and Crystal and their dragons appeared at Medusa's home.

It was a village in what appeared to be a valley, if the mountains surrounding the area were any indication. It wasn't a wealthy village, the buildings run down a bit, and it matched the hand-me-down clothes that Medusa was wearing. She recalled that Medusa had claimed to be living in Barony Olympia, and whoever was running the place wasn't doing that good a job if they let one of their villages get into this sad a shape.

As she stood there, holding her sister in her arms, a strange shivery feeling crept down her spine. Daisy frowned, unable to pinpoint the sensation, but it was magical and it slipped out of her mind's grasp even as she was reaching for it. It wasn't anything to do with the Deep Ways, was something much more, and she had to guess it was some sort of Artifact that was hidden somewhere within the ramshackle structures of this isolated place.

There were also quite a few children about.

They ranged from Crystal's age to almost Daisy's, and many of them had dragons. They were coming out of the houses spread about the village, all of them curious as to the newcomers.

One, a boy with dark hair, ran up to Medusa and began gesturing at her, and it took Daisy a moment to figure out that was talking with his hands. His dragon, black with silver lightning-like bolts on its scales, cuddled up to Addie, who suffered the cuddling with magnanimous grace.

"Where is Mistress Jiaying?" Medusa asked, at the same time also using her hands to speak along with her words.

So, the boy was only mute, and not deaf. He was also Void.

As the boy answered Medusa's question, Daisy took another look around. In the center of the village was an odd, black stone, which seemed to suck in the sunlight. Except along lines of read, with glittered, like the rock had veins running through it.

And, standing next to the stone, was Ruby Hale, along with a pale, tall man with slicked back black hair and dressed all in shades of green, a black and green dragon at his feet, his aura Void.

The blonde Novice grinned at her darkly when she noticed Daisy staring.

Oh, shit.

"Who is that?' Crystal asked, going shy once more.

Daisy quickly called upon her magic to activate her Teleport Artifact, to get them back home as soon as possible.

Only it didn't work.

Daisy's heart began thumping hard in her chest, and panic threatened to rise up into her throat. Ruby Hale was here, and she thought she recognized the man with her, only she was certain she'd never met him before in her life.

Quickly, she set Crystal back onto her feet. "Lockjaw," she hissed, "take Crystal home."

The little dragon started in surprise, looking at Daisy questioningly. "What?" Crystal echoed his confusion.

"It's not safe here," Daisy told her. "Go home and get Dad."

Crystal's face turned white, and she looked like she was about to freak out. Daisy needed her gone, now. "Lockjaw!" she snapped.

Daisy couldn't believe that she'd stepped into yet another Hydra trap, and this time she'd carried her little sister with her. She'd honestly believed that Medusa was just another student, one that had suffered from bullying and had needed help. Instead, she'd led Daisy right into a trap, and if she hadn't been so terrified for her little sister the young Wizard would have been too furious to even speak.

"There's no need for panic," a smooth, female voice said. Daisy looked up; there was a Wizard standing near, a Cardinal…only something was off about the magic, something that had Daisy cringing away from her. The woman was grotesquely scarred, but that wasn't what was making her back away…it was the sheer avarice in her eyes, as if Daisy was the answer to every prayer she'd ever had.

Catherine Hale was with her, her expression very satisfied indeed.

No no no no no no.

"Lockjaw!" she shouted. "Take Crystal home _now_!" Hydra couldn't get their hands on her little sister. Daisy would do anything to protect her, and that meant Hale could get her to do anything. Now she understood how her Dad had felt, knowing that Daisy was in danger and willing to do everything within his power to protect her.

Daisy stood, holding her hands out in front of her, her magic rising within her. Lockjaw _had_ to listen, to teleport Crystal back home, to get Dad so he could come and take these bastards down. She would hold off all comers until her little sister was safe.

"No!" Medusa cried. Her face was stricken, and Daisy had to revise the conclusions that she'd come to about the student. She was obviously upset, and that wasn't how someone who'd been sent to deliberately trap her would act.

Medusa stepped forward, the mute boy reaching out to grab her arm. Smart kid, not wanting her to get in the middle of whatever was going to happen.

The black-haired man looked quite amused by the whole thing, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. Daisy wanted to punch it off, but couldn't spare him her attention.

"Daisy," Crystal whimpered.

Daisy wanted to turn back to her, and hug her, but she didn't dare turn her back on the approaching strangers. "Crystal," she said, trying more than anything to keep her voice calm, "you need to go home and get Dad. Please, have Lockjaw take you home now."

"But we can't leave you!"

Lockjaw could only take one person at a time…at least, that was what everyone had always assumed. Every time he'd teleported anywhere, he'd only taken Crystal or another, but never two at once. Gods, why wasn't she listening?

"Everything is going to be just fine," the scarred woman crooned, her hand up as if she wanted Daisy to take it. "Come with me, and we'll talk."

"I'd probably think you'd mean that, if not for the fact that I can't leave," the young Wizard gritted through clenched teeth. There was some sort of dampening field that was interfering with her Teleport Artifact and she couldn't pinpoint it. She really needed to see about fixing it, but couldn't at the moment, not being surrounded by strangers and Hydra.

"I can't risk you running away until you've heard the truth," the woman answered. Her smile was going for friendly, but there was a darkness about her that had Daisy shivering once more.

"I'm not about to join Hydra, if that's what you want to talk about." No way, no how. Not when they'd killed her Dad, and the only reason he was still around was because the Void really _liked_ him.

"Oh, no," the woman promised. "Hydra promised to bring you to me if I gave them shelter. I'm not with them."

Daisy frowned. What the hells did this crazy person want with her? The only reason she was there was because Hydra wanted Dad, and was willing to use Daisy to get him. Not that that would do them any good; Dad would raze this place to the ground if it meant retrieving her.

Which was why she needed Crystal to leave. Now.

The little girl was now clutching Daisy's legs. Through that contact, the young woman could feel her sister trembling violently. Why hadn't Lockjaw taken her away yet? He needed to listen to her, to save Crystal and then to bring Dad back here as soon as possible.

"Lockjaw!" She ordered. "Go home."

There must have been something in her tone this time – most likely the sheer terror she was feeling at the very idea of Hydra taking Crystal away and holding her to ensure Daisy's cooperation – that the dragon finally chirped in agreement. Daisy felt Crystal's arms releasing their tight embrace around the young Wizard's legs and, with a soft pop of displaced air, both were gone.

"No!" Medusa wailed. She looked positively distraught, her eyes wide with shock and tears beginning to trickle down her face. "Where did she go?"

Why was she reacting like that? She didn't even know Crystal, having just met her earlier in the day.

Medusa wasn't the only one shocked by Crystal's sudden disappearance. The smile left Catherine Hale's face, and she glowered at where Crystal must have been standing when she'd been teleported away. "I thought your spell would disable all Teleport magic, Jiaying," she growled.

The scarred woman – Jiaying – also seemed quite shocked, and Daisy couldn't help her own smirk. "All Teleport Artifacts. Not a natural ability."

There was a slow clap from the pale man. "Oh, well done. It looks as if your great plan was destined for failure."

He had an odd way of speaking, in an accent she'd only heard in one of those old plays that the troubadours were fond of putting on, the ones that bored Uncle Nick to tears. He obviously wasn't from the Western Lands, but where he'd come from, she had no idea.

Hale ground her teeth. "This is just a setback. That child will make sure Coulson comes here. We won't have to wait to contact him in order to get him here."

"And he will be doubly angry," the man pointed out. "This was not such a good plan, Hale. You have made certain that the Dark One will curse us all where we stand."

Daisy frowned. This guy knew that Dad was the Dark One? Well, if he was Hydra, that made sense. But he seemed to be deliberately baiting Hale, which meant…dissension in the Hydra ranks?

But, as far as anyone knew, only the Hales were left from Hydra…

Which meant…

Oh, hells.

This must be Loki of Asgard.

The bastard who'd killed her Dad.

Daisy hadn't known rage like this before. Loki had stabbed her Dad _in the back_, left him to die, and had mind-controlled Clint to do things that her new Dad wouldn't have ever done on his own. Loki had used Clint, had taken his will, and that had been the motivation for Dad facing the Asgardian down in the first place.

Yes, Loki's actions had led Dad to her, but that was beside the point. He'd _hurt_ Dad, and that was something that Daisy would _never_ forgive.

With a wordless shout of pure fury, Daisy lashed out, letting her control lapse so that her magic would be as wild and as strong as if possibly could get. The Bone Breaker spell lashed out, needing to hurt Loki as badly as he'd hurt Dad.

The spell didn't even get close before it was deflected away.

Spinning, Daisy growled at the woman, Jiaying, who had her wand out, from her casting of the counterspell. She looked as surprised as Daisy felt, although why the young Wizard couldn't say. Skye hissed at her, just as mad as her Wizard was.

"That was impressive," Jiaying purred, although Daisy could tell she was shaken by just how powerful Daisy's spell had been. "I should have known you'd be special."

"Just who the hells are you?" Daisy ground out, reining her magic back in with an effort. Thank Gods Dad made the gauntlets, because as upset and angry as she was in that moment it would have been impossible otherwise.

This smile would have been sweet if it hadn't had such a dark edge to it. "I'm your mother."

Oh, she did _not_ just say that!

Daisy screamed out her sudden rage at that admission. This was the woman who'd abandoned her, who'd left her at that first orphanage without a name or a history, and it hadn't been until Dad had found her years later that Daisy had known that someone could possibly love her. This was the bitch who'd given her over to the Barony Shandling orphanage system, who'd just dumped her onto total strangers, and who might have completely ruined her life if not for Phil Coulson, who'd stumbled over her during a battle that Daisy should never have been anywhere near, and yet she had been because she'd run away from another shitty placing, where the attendants hadn't been paid enough to care for the kids they were supposed to have been looking after. Where any little thing Daisy had owned had either been stolen or broken, and she'd had to learn to steal what she could back.

This woman was the source of every single bit of misery she'd suffered before the age of seven.

Daisy lashed out, wanting nothing more than to wipe that damned smug expression off of Jiaying's scarred face.

Her magic had everyone around them ducking for cover as she struck, tossing spell after spell with little finesse and a complete lack of the skill that had been hard-won in every lesson she'd ever had. Daisy wasn't thinking; she was a roiling mass of emotion, betrayal and anger and everything in between roaring out of her like her power was, slamming into her heart and her head and her soul. She wanted to make this bitch a greasy smear on the grass, to force her to admit that what she'd done was wrong, to apologize for every bit of hell Daisy had ever gone through.

Jiaying tried to fight back, and she succeeded…which made Daisy even angrier, doubling down on her attempts to kick the woman's ass halfway across the continent. Jiaying stumbled backward, planting a foot in order to keep from taking another step, but Daisy wasn't about to give her any sort of respite.

However, she hadn't counted on the residents of the valley she'd Teleported into.

Who were mostly children.

A spell hit her from behind, almost knocking her flat. Daisy managed to keep her feet, but it was impossible for her to keep up her own spells if she was being attacked from two sides. It only took a break in her own spellcasting for several of the children to step in front of Jiaying, acting as a human shield against Daisy's magic, and she had to no choice but to lower her own hands and to pull the Deep Ways back into herself. Those kids might have been young, and smaller than Jiaying, but she wasn't about to risk any of them just to take out her emotions on the woman who'd claimed to be Daisy's mother.

Jiaying was smirking at her with a combination of pride and superiority…like she had anything to be superior about. Daisy would have beat her if she hadn't had these kids putting themselves in the way and blocking the young Wizard's shots. Sure, most of her spells had been sloppy, but she'd put enough power into them not to make a lot of difference. Daisy lacked her Dad's finesse, and she'd forgotten a lot of his and Pepper's lessons in control in her fury, but she thought she could be excused for it this once.

"You are not my mother," Daisy panted. She felt drained and exhausted, but wasn't about to show that in front of this person who hadn't been a part of her life in years. "I don't have a mother. I have two Dads, and they love me. You didn't even love me enough to keep me."

"That's where you're wrong." Jiaying stepped out from behind the children, her expression one of anger and remorse. "Your birth father stole you from me. Up until just recently, I thought you were still with him, in hiding somewhere. I looked for you; I Scryed for you. But your father hid you too well." She took another step forward. "I _never_ would have given you up. I swear to you… I wouldn't have given you up for _anything_ if I'd been given the chance."

Daisy could see that she believed what she was saying, that it hadn't been this woman who'd left her at that first orphanage. Still, it had been nearly eighteen years, and there was no connection between them.

Besides, Jiaying was obviously working with Hydra and Loki. There was no way in any of the hells that she was going to trust her.

"It doesn't matter." Daisy shook her head. Her knees were like jelly, and she wanted nothing more than to sit, but she didn't dare. Not with the Hales and Loki nearby.

There was also the case of Jiaying's odd magic. It was obviously Deep Ways, but there was something off about it, and the young Wizard had to wonder if this was a case of a tainted Cardinal Point, much like the Void Point back at Hydra's old headquarters.

Most likely not, because there wasn't any other bad Deep Ways magic around them. It was all coming from Jiaying herself, and it made her skin itch in ways Dad's magic was supposed to, yet didn't.

"It's been too long," she went on. "I don't know you. And you're working with them." She waved toward the Hales and Loki, ignoring the fact that her hand was shaking. "I'm never going to trust you as long as they're here. Get rid of them, turn them over to Wizard justice, and we'll talk."

Jiaying looked disappointed. It was nothing on Dad's _I'm disappointed in your life choices _expression, so it didn't faze her. Besides, there was nothing between them and Daisy simply didn't care what the woman's opinion of her was. "They're my guests. And, without Hydra, I would never have known where you were. I am grateful to them for bringing you back to me."

Daisy wasn't so grateful. "You mean, tricking me into coming here and then keeping me against my will?" Her Teleport Artifact had been disabled, meaning she was trapped wherever the hells she was.

She glanced at Medusa, who seemed quite distraught by what was going on. Maybe she was innocent in all this? She might have been sent to the Wizard's School for her education, and everything that had happened could have been coincidence…

No. Daisy wasn't willing to believe that. Medusa had known exactly how to approach, to get Daisy to befriend her. A Void student being bullied by Greats…yes, that was just what would have suckered her in.

Did that mean the Greats were innocent? Headmaster Chesterton hadn't seemed to think so. Maybe there _had_ been something to Medusa's story after all…just not everything had been true. She had to wonder just how much of it was lies and manipulation.

As she watched, Medusa tugged on Jiaying's sleeve. "But, Mistress Jiaying…"

Jiaying looked down at her indulgently. "Yes, Medusa?"

The girl's eyes were imploring. "We need to get Crystal back, please."

"And why is that, sweeting?"

"Cause she's my sister."

Daisy could have been knocked over with a feather by that admission. Sir Napoleon had discovered in the course of his investigation into what had happened to Crystal that she'd had an older sister. Even Crystal seemed to recall that fact, even if she hadn't been certain; she'd been so young when her half-remembered sister had vanished, that it was all feeling and hardly any memory at this point. They'd all believed that the older sister was dead, but what if…?

Jiaying frowned a little. "Are you certain?"

Medusa nodded vigorously. "I was only five when she was born, but I remember that hair. She had that black streak when she was a baby. I…our Mom at the time had commented on it, because no one could figure out where it had come from." She let out a sob. "Mistress Jiaying, they did the same thing to her that they did to me, only Daisy's Dad –"

"He is not her father!" Jiaying snarled angrily.

"He is," Daisy stated. "He adopted me when no one else would. He raised me, taught me, and loved me. He's more of a parent than you are right now. He also found Crystal and adopted her, too."

The boy who couldn't speak was talking with his hands again, and an older boy, with Eastern Empire features and buzzed-cut hair – and no dragon – began translating. "Mistress Jiaying found all of us, when our parents beat us or threw us out because of our magic. She has been our mother more than anyone else ever has."

Alright, so maybe Jiaying had a heart, after all. "That's good and all, but she didn't for Crystal and me. We have our own family, and I really want to go home now."

"We can't let you do that." Catherine Hale finally spoke up. "It's a good thing that the kid managed to get away, because that will bring the Dark One here looking for you."

"And you think you can stop him from tearing this place down around your collective ears?" Daisy laughed. "Yeah, tell me another one." Gods, she hated being used against her own Dad this way. And Hydra seemed dead set on doing just that.

It was irritating.

She couldn't help but notice, even amidst every single shock she'd had since appearing in the valley, that Loki had yet to do anything. That…seemed odd, but he was just standing there, next to that weird stone, watching with a gaze filled with sheer amusement, as if this was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. Ruby Hale was next to him, her own eyes watching almost avidly, and yet she appeared to be distracted, her gaze darting back and forth between the conflict going on, and the black rock she and Loki were next to.

Daisy couldn't afford to divide her attention, however; not when she was being bombarded with all sorts of information and would need to respond to it all.

"You're really going to go along with Hydra putting your kids in danger?" Daisy demanded of Jiaying. "Because, if that's the case, you really _are_ evil and I don't want to have a damned thing to do with you."

That sparked Jiaying's ire, and she spun to face Catherine Hale. "You said nothing about putting my children in the line of fire of your vendetta."

"Please," Hale brushed her off. "You really thought that bringing the Dark One here wouldn't put these children in danger? Jiaying…you're not that naïve."

Daisy was beginning to get an idea of Jiaying's little Wizard enclave here. If she had to guess, the young Wizard thought that this was Jiaying's way of making up for the fact of losing her own child and, in a way, endeared Daisy to her. However, that didn't excuse her from her place in Hydra's plans to trap her Dad, because there would never be any forgiveness for that. If Jiaying thought she was going to have any sort of relationship with Daisy, then she needed to be disavowed of that immediately.

"If _anything_ happens to my Dad," Daisy vowed, "there will _never_ be anything between us, Jiaying. It won't matter that you might not have had anything to do with abandoning me," and she wasn't so sure she believed that, because there had to have been a reason for her original father stealing her and then leaving her at an orphanage, "I won't forgive you for hurting the man who's done _nothing_ but love me and take care of me. You understand me? You threw your lot in with Hydra, and all they want to do is mess with Dad and make him into something he's not, and I won't let them get away with that." Her magic wanted to strike out at the woman, but Daisy held onto it by the skin of her teeth. These kids were innocents in this, and there was no way she was ever going to hurt a child on purpose.

"That man isn't your father!" Jiaying spat.

"Yes, he is!" Daisy retorted hotly. "We might not be related biologically, but blood isn't the only thing that matters where family is concerned. My Dad is the best man in the world, and he has _always_ put my happiness and safety before his own. You don't get to say anything against him, are we clear?"

Off in the distance, there was a faint rumble, and the ground shook a little. It had been a long time since Daisy had lost so much control that she'd taken down the side of a mountain, but she was doing that now. It didn't matter how hard she tried to hang onto her magic, it was leaking out the longer she stood there, facing this person who claimed to have carried her. The more she looked at Jiaying, the more she could tell there was something seriously wrong with her, and Daisy didn't care that this was her mother…she wasn't about to let her in, because quite honestly she wasn't at all sure she believed Jiaying at all.

Anger flickered across the woman's scarred face, but then it was gone, replaced by an almost sickening sweetness that made Daisy want to gag. "You don't know the whole truth," Jiaying practically cooed. "You cannot make an informed decision until you do."

"Jiaying helped us!" one of the children surrounding them called out. It was a boy, well-muscled and with curly brown hair, his dragon equally brown. He was Void; most of the Wizard children there were Void, but there was a couple of Cardinals as well. It saddened Daisy that these poor kids had been so mistreated by the parents who should have loved them, but had gotten rid of them instead.

"Yeah," Daisy snapped back, "but she didn't help _me_, did she?"

"I tried to find you," the woman said, her voice and face turning sad. Her eyes, though…had no one ever told her that the eyes were the windows into the soul?

Because that avarice was back, and it made Daisy feel a little dirty seeing it.

"Maybe you did," the young Wizard allowed, "but you teamed up with Hydra, who's done nothing but hurt me and my family. Shouldn't you be grateful that someone took me in and took care of me? That someone _fought_ for me when an unscrupulous Baron wanted to use me to gain prestige for himself? That someone _loved_ me, when no one else did? I have a family, and I will never let anyone hurt them, not if I can help it. You should be thanking Dad for everything he's done for me, and yet you're betraying him to Hydra. No, I won't forgive you for that, and it doesn't matter than you gave birth to me."

"Your father," Catherine Hale interrupted, "is one of the darkest Wizards ever to exist."

"Yes," Daisy admitted. "He _was_. But he's not that man anymore. Hells, he really wasn't _before_ finding me, but there were a lot of circumstances involved that you have no clue about. When I came along, he _completely changed his life for me_. There aren't a lot of people out there who would have done that. He's now Grand Master of Voids, the most powerful Void Wizard in the world, and the Champion that the Void chose to represent it. He tore a Void Point open and tossed Alexander Pierce into it, then shut it back up again. I have _never_ been prouder to have Phil Coulson in my life, as my father and my teacher and my friend, and _no one_ will ever make me change my mind."

Hale was glaring, her face pale. "That's impossible. No one can open a Void Point."

She noticed that Hale hadn't said anything about _closing_ one. "I'm sure Pierce felt the same…before Dad did just that." It was Daisy's turn to smirk. "Void Champion. That's my Dad." Gods, she really was so very proud of him. What he'd done with his life since giving up the mantle of the Dark One was truly amazing.

"Indeed." The much-loved voice came from behind Daisy.

Beaming, she spun on her heel. "About time you got here," she said cheekily.

Her Dad was standing there, a single eyebrow raised, Lola and Lockjaw flanking him. Peeking around his legs was Crystal, and Daisy wondered what she'd done to convince him to bring her with…and then realized Crystal probably had just hitched a ride, not wanting to leave her big sister in trouble. However, she was a bit mad at herself for assuming that Lockjaw could only carry one, because she could have hightailed it back to the Keep when she'd sent Crystal home, instead of inadvertently leading her Dad into a trap.

"Why do you always manage to get into so much trouble?" he chided lightly.

The young Wizard shrugged. "I just can't seem to help it."

With that, she darted forward, to wrap him up in a hug. When he bent down to return it, she whispered in his ear, "I am so glad to see you." She was a little surprised that Clint wasn't with him, though.

"Clint went off with Jack," he murmured into her hair, as if reading her mind. "I didn't take the time to wait on him."

Oh, Clint wasn't going to be happy about _that_.

She felt Crystal wrap her own arms around Daisy's legs. "Can we go home now?" the little girl asked plaintively. "I don't like it here."

"In just a moment." Dad pulled away, his eyes hardening as he took in Catherine Hale…then Ruby and Loki. "Catherine Hale," he spoke, the authority of the Guild in his voice, "you and Novice Ruby Hale have been found guilty of violating the laws of the Guild. As Grand Master of Void Order, it is my duty to pass judgment upon you both. Do you submit to the will of the Quorum?"


	56. Chapter 56

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil Teleported into his casting chamber, rushing out almost from the moment his feet had touched the familiar stone, Lola hot on his heels.

_Hydra had Daisy_, was the only thought that raged through his mind like a dervish.

Melinda was waiting for him just outside the door into the Keep, looking as implacable as he'd ever seen her. She was dressed all in black leather, but unarmed; however, Phil knew her so well, that she didn't need weapons to be one of the deadliest people he'd ever known. "What the hells happened?" he demanded.

And Melinda knew _him_ so well that she wasn't insulted by his sharpness. "This is what we know. Daisy found out that one of the Void students at the school was being bullied. Jemma called and said that this student had gotten into trouble for fighting, so Daisy went to check on her. She took Crystal with her."

Phil frowned. Yes, he _knew_ that, Andrew had told him…and yes, he was proud of his elder daughter for helping out another student, but how did that fit in? "She wasn't taken from the school, was she?" The wards about the school grounds should have prevented anyone without proper authorization from even setting a single foot within the campus.

"No," Melinda answered. "That we _do_ know. What we _don't_ know is why Daisy left school grounds in the first place. We're hoping Crystal can tell us that once she's calmed down a little. Lockjaw teleported her back, in near-hysterics about leaving her sister behind. She managed to say 'Hydra', but that's all we've been able to get out of her at the moment. Hopefully, you can get her to say more."

Phil's panic wanted to crawl up out of his throat and strangle him. "Where is she?" He needed to make certain Crystal was safe and unharmed.

"In your study. Andrew's with her."

He strode with her down to the study, and as he got closer he could hear stifled sobs coming from within. Phil tried to regain his composure, as he didn't want to upset Crystal any more than she already was, but he knew his fury was evident in his face. He'd always prided himself on his being able to keep his feelings under control, but this was Daisy, and Hydra had just earned his undying wrath over taking her _again_.

The door was open, and Phil was in the study and on the couch where Andrew held a distraught Crystal on his lap before realizing he'd even moved. The moment the little girl saw him, she gave a wordless cry and was lunging for him; the Wizard managed to catch her easily, holding her close and letting her cry into his shoulder. Lockjaw, equally upset, was busily being cuddled by Lola, the elder dragon's wings curled about the younger, as if trying to protect him from the world.

As much as Phil wanted to hold his youngest daughter until she was more coherent, he understood that there wasn't time. That, at some point soon, Hydra's demands were going to be communicated to him, and he knew they wouldn't be good. Phil needed to strike _now_, and Crystal was the source of the knowledge he'd need to do just that.

"Sweetheart," he murmured, "can you tell me what happened?" He held her just far enough away for him to look at her when she talked. Her pale eyes were red and puffy, her face blotchy from crying. His heart clenched at seeing her so upset.

Crystal sniffled. "We just wanted to help Medusa! She was so upset about the bullying and getting suspendered from school…"

Phil suspected the word Crystal had meant was 'suspended', which would have been the punishment for fighting.

"Daisy thought we could explain to Medusa's guardian that it wasn't her fault, so we went home with her. But…" she looked on the verge of tears again, "we got there and Daisy sent me home and she said she wasn't going to join Hydra! Hydra's the bad guys, right? That's what I heard you and Daddy say once."

"That's right." Phil wasn't about to lie to her. Not about this. "Can you tell me what you saw?"

Crystal nodded, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. Andrew, ever prepared, passed Phil a handkerchief, which he used to wipe her face. "There was a bunch of kids. And three adults. Well, maybe four, because one was about Daisy's age…"

The Wizard gave her a gentle smile, despite the emotions roiling through him. "Daisy's hardly an adult."

"But you told me I should always do what she says."

Alright, that bit of advice just came back to bite him in the ass…

"What else?" he prompted her, deciding to address that later.

"One of the people was all scarred up. One had blonde hair, and the one Daisy's age did, too."

One unknown, and the others were obviously the Hales, if Daisy had identified them as Hydra. "And the fourth?"

"He had black hair. He was making this face, like he was really having fun."

Shit.

"Honey," he said, his heart pounding even harder, "did this man have a green and black dragon?"

Crystal nodded. "It was pretty."

Every bit of Phil's panic turned to rage.

Loki.

It was the final confirmation they'd needed that Hydra had broken him out of prison.

Looking over Crystal's head, he could see both Andrew and Melinda putting it together as well. Melinda's face turned positively murderous, while Andrew's expression was blank; only the jumping of the muscle in his jaw showing just how angry he was at this turn of events. They both knew what this meant, who the man with the green and black dragon was, and in that instant they also figured out exactly what Phil was about to do.

He was going to go after Daisy.

"Melinda," he said, "I need you to go to Marcus. Tell him what's happened."

"Phil…" she began warningly.

"Andrew," he ignored her, "Call Clint. Get him to Triskelia. We're going to need back-up, and he's in line to join this new Initiative Marcus is starting up."

"Who's Marcus?" Crystal asked tentatively.

Now was not the time to try and explain who Marcus Johnson was. "He's a friend of your Uncle Nick's." It was as close to the truth as Phil could get at the moment, without getting into things that would be above Crystal's comprehension.

"Clint isn't going to like you going off on your own," Andrew commented.

_That_ was an understatement. He and Clint had just had their last argument about Phil doing things and not letting Clint know about it.

But it couldn't be helped. There was no way he was going to leave Daisy in the situation she'd stumbled into for any longer than necessary.

"Lockjaw," he addressed the smaller dragon, "can you take me to Daisy?"

Lola gave Lockjaw a gentle nudge. Lockjaw chirped, sitting up straight, almost at attention.

Phil couldn't help but smile at his determination. "Crystal will stay here –"

"No!" she shouted, pulling out of Phil's arms. "I'm going to help Daisy!"

"You can't," he told her. "I need you to stay here with Andrew –"

"No, Dad!" she denied. "I have to help Daisy!"

How could he explain to her the danger? She was six years old and, while she was very intelligent for her age and had been through so much, there were still things she simply wouldn't be able to comprehend.

He held her hands. "Crystal, you can't help her. It has to be me."

"But…" Her lip wobbled.

This was the one time her puppy eyes weren't going to work. "I'll go and bring her home, but you have to stay here and wait for us, alright?"

She looked as if she was going to argue some more, but she finally nodded. "Okay, Dad."

"That's my girl." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

Then he stood. "Melinda, come with me. Andrew…call Clint for me. Please."

"I will," he promised. "Although I can't believe you're leaving me to give him the news like that. It's going to cost you, Phil."

He figured as much. He did feel guilty about it, but he couldn't wait around, not when Daisy was in trouble.

"Can I come with you and say goodbye?" Crystal asked timidly.

Phil hated that he'd made her sound like that. "Of course, sweetheart. We're just going down to my casting chamber."

Picking her up, he made his way back downstairs, followed by the two dragons and Melinda. He was already making plans, attempting to figure out scenarios he would find once he got to Daisy. He didn't dare consider what may be happening to her now; she was at the mercy of Loki, and the Hales, and whoever that mysterious other woman was. She hadn't come home with Crystal and Lockjaw; as far as any of them knew, Lockjaw could only teleport one person at a time, so she would have been concerned with getting Crystal out, and then hoping she could defend herself against anyone else there. And, perhaps she might have been able to, once she was older and had learned better control, but now…no, it didn't matter how powerful she was, Daisy had weaknesses, and it could be disgustingly simple to exploit those weaknesses. There honestly was no way of guessing what sort of situation Phil would find himself in once Lockjaw got him to his elder daughter.

Plus, Daisy had her own Teleport Artifact, and hadn't come home with it, which meant something must have been blocking it from working. So at least one of the Wizards was fairly powerful; they would have needed to be if they were able to keep an Artifact from working. That was another thing he needed to take into consideration.

He was aware of Loki's capabilities, having faced the mad Asgardian in combat before. He'd learned the lesson of not turning his back on the man, because that was how he'd died that first time. Loki's main weapon was illusion, and so he would need to watch out for that. He didn't have any of his usual already enchanted tools with him, except for his shield, but the Void was with him, and Loki was Void. He would be able to sense his approach even if he was hiding behind an illusion.

He'd spoken with Wizards who'd been acquainted with the Hales. Catherine was a middle-of-the-road Wizard, one who hadn't necessarily excelled at her studies but who had guile and could be sneaky when she'd needed to. Her daughter had carried on that middling sort of magic, but her fellows at the Wizard School had claimed she'd always considered herself better than anyone else. That sort of superiority complex could be exploited, if he played his cards right.

This mysterious other woman, though. She was the one he would have to be the most concerned about. Phil would be going into any confrontation with her blind, without any knowledge of her capabilities. That was worrisome, but he couldn't leave Daisy with Hydra. They were aware of just what he'd do for his own child, and would ruthlessly use her against him.

As for Crystal saying that there were children there…he was going to have to assess the situation once he got there, but there was no way in any of the hells was he going to put any innocent kids in the line of spellfire. Phil had enough personal control to keep his magic from going off its intended course, but that didn't mean that someone couldn't accidentally step in the way and get hurt.

Once they were down in the casting chamber, Phil set Crystal onto the floor, heading toward one of his storage cabinets…the one that he'd gotten into just a short while ago, when he'd given Clint the bracer he'd had made for an engagement gift. Rooting around inside, he found what he was searching for…a compass, once that he'd spelled up not that long ago, to be used if he ever did something as stupid as stepping into trouble without back-up.

Phil handed it to Melinda. "Give this to Mistress Maria. She'll know how to use it."

His friend and Steward examined the plain brass compass. "What is it?"

"It's a tracker. It will let Maria locate me wherever I might end up."

"Good." Melinda placed the compass in her pocket. "Phil…be careful. I know you're powerful and the Void is looking out for you…"

"I will be. I have no intention of letting Hydra get what it wants." He didn't mention Loki; but then, he didn't think he needed to. Melinda knew exactly what danger Loki presented, and knew that Phil would be watching out for him to pull some sort of trick out of his ass.

He knelt down in front of Crystal. "I promise you…I'll get Daisy back. I won't let the bad people keep her."

Crystal looked on the verge of tears once again. "Please, Dad…let me come with you. I'll be good."

He smiled gently at her. "I'm not worried about how good you'll be. I'm afraid you might get hurt."

"But you and Daisy could be hurt, too!"

"I'm going to be doing everything in my power to keep that from happening."

Phil hugged her tightly, intending to keep every single vow he'd just made. There was no way he was going to let Crystal lose anything else in her life; she'd done too much of that already.

"I cannot believe you're making me face Nick and Clint," Melinda shook her head.

"You'll do fine." Phil stood. "They'll be less likely to kill you over this than they are me." He tried to keep his voice light, but there really wasn't any way to do that, not in this.

Then he took a step back, calling both Lola and Lockjaw to him. "Take me to Daisy," he requested of the smaller dragon.

Lockjaw chirped in agreement.

As they were teleporting away, Phil felt tiny arms wrap around his legs, and knew that Crystal had just hitched along for the ride.

He didn't have time to deal with that before he was fading into being in what looked like a valley, surrounded by tall mountains. It was a village that looked as if it had seen better days and had the oddest magical aura about it that Phil had ever felt. It wasn't uncomfortable, per se, but it was weird and he just couldn't work it out in the heartbeat he had before he had to react to what appeared to be some sort of standoff between his elder daughter, about two dozen children, Catherine Hale and that scarred woman Crystal had mentioned, with Loki and Ruby Hale standing off to the side next to an odd stone that was very vaguely pinging against his magical senses in a way that was far too familiar for his peace of mind.

Shit. He was going to have to get Ianto here to confirm what he was pretty certain was one of the other six stones that the UnEarthly Child had talked about.

However, Phil had to ignore that at the moment. He had other things to do.

"I'm sure Pierce felt the same…before Dad did just that," Daisy was saying, her back to where Phil was standing. He could hear the smirk in her voice. "Void Champion. That's my Dad."

"Indeed," he replied, agreeing with her estimate and feeling unbelievably honored by the pride she obviously felt for him.

Daisy turned quickly, smiling widely. "About time you got here."

He wanted to shake his head at her attitude. It was no wonder trouble was drawn to her like she was some sort of lodestone. Phil raised an eyebrow at that. "Why do you always manage to get into so much trouble?" Phil couldn't believe this was happening again, that his daughter had fallen into the hands of Hydra. She had to have been sick and tired of being used as a hostage in order to get something out of him.

"I just can't seem to help it." She shrugged somewhat helplessly, her eyes troubled despite the smile on her face.

She then moved forward quickly to hug him. Phil had to bend over to return it, sighing in relief that she was still safe and being her usual snarky self.

"I am so glad to see you." Her voice was a mere whisper, a puff of breath in his ear.

She had to be wondering why he was by himself…well, except for Crystal, who'd also joined them in the hug. "Clint went off with Jack. I didn't take the time to wait on him."

"Can we go home now?" Crystal whined from where she was embracing both of their legs. "I don't like it here."

"In just a moment." He had a job to do, now that he knew where the final members of Hydra were. He straightened his spine, meeting the smug eyes that were observing their reunion as if it was some great comedy for her alone. "Catherine Hale, you and Novice Ruby Hale have been found guilty of violating the laws of the Guild. As Grand Master of Void Order, it is my duty to pass judgment upon you both. Do you submit to the will of the Quorum?"

And, because Phil Coulson wasn't an idiot, he threw open his magical senses, on the lookout for any sort of trick coming from anyone standing about, staring at him as if he was crazy for even facing them by himself and demanding that the two last members of Hydra turn themselves over to him for punishment.

The odd aura about the village solidified itself into some sort of reality altering magic, which was on par with his own UnPlotable spell, only not quite as cohesive as the one that hid Shield Keep from the prying magical eyes. He felt a little relief that the tracker he'd given Melinda would work around this version, and that whoever was coming to back him up would be able to find him and his daughters.

It was being powered by that odd stone. So, if he was right, one of those other Artifacts could control reality. He wondered just how far that went before putting it out of his mind in order to concentrate on what was going on around him.

The majority of the children in the village who actually had magic were Void, although there were five Cardinals in the mix. He had to wonder just where they'd all come from, and why they weren't at the school, those who were of age to go. Were they somehow being held back? Well, obviously at least one of them wasn't, if Daisy had met her. Or had that been a trap to get Daisy to come here? He wouldn't have put it past Hydra to do just that.

Loki's aura – and he was still standing by that black rock, looking vastly entertained – was…blotchy. It was as if his magic had been damaged in some way, and Phil had to think back to their encounter over eleven years ago to realize that _he_ was the reason the Asgardian's magic wasn't healthy. He could vividly recall exactly what spells he'd used during that battle, and wondered exactly which one had done the damage. It could have been either the Brainfire or the Smother curses.

He supposed it didn't matter. He would still have to watch out for the Asgardian, and his mastery of illusion. Just because he didn't have his spear anymore, didn't mean he was helpless.

The disfigured woman, however…she was Cardinal, but there was something fundamentally wrong with her magic. It was warped in a way, almost like the Void Point that Pierce had tainted, and yet it was slightly different from that. There was an almost Void-like darkness about her, but it wasn't the Void that had marred the Deep Ways within her. What was _wrong_ with her, that was making Phil's magical senses twitch away?

Even as he was making these observations, he kept his eyes on Catherine Hale, making notes on her own magical aura and that of her daughter's. They matched up with what he'd been told by various acquaintances, but that didn't mean either of them couldn't be as sneaky as Loki if they wanted to. Catherine Hale was staring at him as if he was mad, and he supposed he did seem to be; after all, he'd just demanded that she turn herself and her daughter over to him while he was surrounded by unknowns who were apparently her allies…that included the children, until he could prove one way or the other. He really didn't want to fight the little ones, and he would avoid that if at all possible, but he really had no idea just what they were doing there, and which way they would fall if and when it came to any sort of conflict.

Phil would do his best to keep from hurting any of them. He didn't want that on his conscience. It was already too heavy laden as it was, and harming a child would most likely overbalance it completely.

Catherine Hale barked a disbelieving laugh. "Did you honestly think you could just appear in this valley and make that sort of demand?"

Phil shrugged. "You've been tried _in absentia_ for your crimes against the Guild. However, the Void's justice prevails over Wizard justice. And, as Void Champion, it is my duty to administer that justice, just as I have with John Garrett and Alexander Pierce. You would be doing the Void a tremendous favor by fighting me, just so you know."

The woman scoffed. "You're just a bit full of yourself, aren't you? 'Void Champion'? Really?"

"I pulled open a Void Point out of nothing, and tossed Pierce into it then closed it back up again. You tell me if I'm being full of myself." Really, as far as Phil was concerned, the only reason he wasn't getting more of that sort of reaction was that it wasn't common knowledge yet. Only his friends and family were aware of what the Void had done, and they were too fully invested in him to even question it. Not that they would…they knew him, understood that the Void intended him for a destiny it hadn't shared yet. At this point, Phil was just along for the ride, although he knew there would come a time when the Void would make its intentions known. Until then, he was simply following his instincts, and the vague whisperings of the Void itself.

Catherine Hale was staring at him incredulously. "That's impossible."

"Just because _you_ can't do it," Daisy piped up, "doesn't mean it can't be done. And I already told you he could do that, so _you_ don't get to act all surprised when he confirms my word."

"Daisy," he admonished, even as he couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry, Dad. I couldn't help myself."

"He is _not_ your father," the scarred woman snapped angrily.

"You've said that before," Daisy huffed. "Still doesn't make it any less true."

That had Phil putting at least part of his attention on her. "And you are?" he asked blandly.

"Her name's Jiaying," Daisy answered before the woman could, "and she _claims_ to be my birth mother. I was kicking her ass over it until the kids got in the way."

Daisy's mother.

That…

Phil didn't want to admit how much it hurt to hear that. For as long as he'd had her, he'd always had this niggling fear at the back of his mind that, one day, Daisy's family would come back and take her away. Daisy had always assured him that she would never leave, because as far as she was concerned her birth parents had lost any claim to her, because they'd abandoned her at that first orphanage when she was a baby. She was Daisy Coulson, and Phil was her Dad, and that was how she saw it.

And now…there he was, standing before the woman who'd given birth to his older daughter, and he could see the resemblance between mother and daughter in their eyes.

Daisy had said she'd been kicking Jiaying's ass.

Phil wished he'd showed up in time to see that.

"Of course," he spoke, "this means you're culpable in treason against the Wizard's Guild for harboring fugitives from justice…and I'm quite certain Asgard might want a word for breaking Loki out of his prison cell."

"You're not taking Mistress Jiaying," one of boys, who looked to be several years younger than Daisy, shouted.

"She's found all these kids," Daisy explained. "Every single one of them were abandoned because of their magic."

Phil had been worried that Crystal hadn't been an isolated case. But to see all of these youngsters, each and every one of them turned out because of the kind of Wizards they were, had Phil seeing red. "I want names," he growled. "Each and every one of their parents will be taken into custody and sterilized per Wizard law."

He was a little surprised to see Jiaying's face looked confused. "The Wizard Guild doesn't care," she snorted.

"You're wrong. My youngest, Crystal, is like these." He waved a hand around the gathered group. "Right now, the Grand Masters are fighting the sort of propaganda that had their parents cast them out of their families." He didn't add that he could have been one of those children, if his own parents hadn't wanted to work their own brand of propaganda on him. Would he have become the Dark One if he'd just run away? Phil supposed he would never know, really. "We would have found new homes for every child displaced by abusive parents. Wizard children are precious, and are always taken care of by the Guild."

"Then where was the Guild when these were kicked out or abused by the people who should have cared for them?" Jiaying demanded. "It took me searching for them and bringing them here in order for them to finally be safe."

He supposed she had a point. "We can put measures into place to make certain, if this ever happens again, that we would know about it almost immediately. No child will ever be left behind, not on my watch."

"You sound just so holier than thou," Catherine Hale said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "And yet, you were responsible for so much death and destruction…including children."

"If you'd paid just the closest little bit of attention," Daisy denied, "you would have seen that Dad _never_ hurt children, not a single one. In fact, he _saved_ children who were being exploited because of their magic. Hydra didn't do their research if you don't know even _that_."

Daisy was right…the Dark One had always gone out of his way to keep children out of the line of fire. When he'd heard about King Wolfgang of Buda-Pest actually experimenting on magical children, he'd gone in there and burned the place to the ground.

But his rampages hadn't always been for the good. Phil was aware that Daisy knew that, but was still willing to defend him to anyone who said one bad word about him.

"This is enough conversation," he brought the subject to a close. "Catherine Hale, Ruby Hale…my question still stands. Do you submit to the will of the Quorum?"

"I'd like to see you try and take us out of here," Catherine Hale challenged.

Phil didn't say a word.

He simply called upon the Void.

And the Void answered.

It whispered to him once more, in signs and images and intentions, and he smiled as it requested him to mete out its justice. Without him prompting it, the Void clad him in its armor, black as night, wrapping around his body almost like another lover, girding him for whatever Catherine Hale was going to attempt to do next.

"Keep the children back," he requested of Daisy.

She nodded, so very bright in his magical sight, like a sun within the blackness that his soul contained. Oh, not in the way most people would have assumed; no, this was Void black, natural and true, and it slotted within his soul like a piece of it had been missing.

Just as Daisy herself was a part of that very same soul.

Everyone moved out of the way as he strode forward. "Catherine Hale, the Void has found you wanting. So, it has decided to take back what it gifted to you – itself." He'd done the same to John Garrett for his attempting to kidnap Daisy; the punishment was just in the eyes of the Void.

Hale was as white as a sheet. "That's a death sentence!"

"It is," Phil agreed. "However, didn't Hydra once decide that it should do the same thing to me?"

He could see the Void within her, making up the magic that was her life's blood. It was roiling just under her skin, eager for its Champion to call it home.

Raising a single hand, Phil did just that.

Catherine Hale screamed as the Void was pulled from her body.

It came to Phil easily, curling about the fingers of his outstretched hand, stroking along his skin as if grateful for being released from the Wizard that had had a part in tainting it. Phil had no idea what Hale had done, if she'd helped Pierce twist the Void Point below their mansion, but if one was responsible, they all were.

Suddenly, however, a strong magical wave slammed into him, knocking him off his feet. His head snapping up, Phil could see Ruby Hale standing there, her hand on the stone that he was certain was the Reality Stone, red smoke lifting from the blackness of the rock and entering her body, her eyes closed as if in ecstasy.

Her eyes snapped open just as Crystal was crying out and hurling herself toward him, Lola and Lockjaw both also coming to his aid.

Red burned within their depths.

And suddenly, inexplicably, Phil Coulson was somewhere else.


	57. Chapter 57

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"Where the hells is the idiot?" Clint demanded, as he stalked into Nick's private sitting room, Lucky growling at his side, the dragon for once not being his silly self, and Natasha prowling along behind.

"Maria's working on it," Nick explained. He and Melinda were standing together, watching as Mistress Maria was bent over what resembled a brass compass, the needle wavering between north and west, her finger drawing invisible lines on the map that had been spread across the table in front of her. He frowned. "Who's that?"

Clint didn't spare his brother a single glance, knowing that Barney was following Natasha into the room. When he'd gotten the call from Andrew about Phil and Daisy, Clint had wanted to leave immediately, but Jack had convinced him to take Natasha with him. That had meant Natasha had wanted to gather a few things together while he stood in the guest trailer and stewed a bit, and it had also meant that, somehow, Barney had found out about the Child being there and wanting to talk to Clint about what she'd told him.

It also meant that Barney had insisted on going with them when Jack had explained.

Clint hadn't wanted him to, but Barney had pointed out that he'd been looking for a way to make up his previous behavior, and this would be the start of it. Until that moment, the archer hadn't really believed that Barney would be willing to put in the work necessary, or even if it was possible for him to get back into Clint's good graces, but now…there was a tiny part of him that was glad his brother was beside him once more, even if that part was drowned out by the old, familiar pain of betrayal.

When Clint didn't introduce him, Barney stepped forward uncertainly. "I'm Barney Barton," he said, tacking on a "Your Grace" because he must have recognized Nick at that point.

Nick raised a single eyebrow. "The brother that kicked Clint's ass to the side of the road?" His voice dripped with scorn.

"Yes, Sir," he swallowed hard, clearing intimidated. Well, at least he was admitting it now to others. That was a change.

Nick made a disapproving 'hmph' sound then turned back to Clint. "Far be it for me to say who comes along with…"

Clint rolled his eyes at that. He was pretty sure Nick was already arranging the rescue party.

"But do we need the extra ballast?"

To Barney's credit, he didn't look insulted; he just clutched his bow tighter. "I have a lot to make up for."

Nick made that sound again. "Got Rogers getting the others. We should be leaving as soon as Maria knows where we're going."

"Looks like Barony Olympia," Maria reported. "Somewhere in the mountains."

"I'm up then." Nick sighed. "Gonna have to warn Baron Jeremy Bolt that he's about to have an incursion into his lands." He strode from the room, muttering under his breath about wishing he didn't have to give anyone any damned warning about having bad guys hiding in their damned Barony.

Clint was familiar with Olympia. It was the only Barony in the Western Lands where all three governing seats were held by brothers; the younger brother, Jeremy, was its Baron, while the older brother, Jason, was Knights' Commander and middle brother, Joshua, was Court Wizard. No one had quite understood how that had worked out, but Olympia was well-run and fairly prosperous so there was no reason to overly question it.

"Clint," Melinda stepped up next to him.

"Melinda." She looked ready to kick ass and take names, and she didn't have any sort of parchment with her. Seeing her all domestic had had him almost forgetting that she'd once been one of the deadliest fighters in the Western Lands, on par with Natasha herself. She was wearing her leathers, which meant she would be going along with them.

"You need to know something."

Well, that didn't sound ominous _at all_, and he said so.

Melinda explained.

Yeah, that _was_ pretty damned ominous.

Crystal had managed to tag along with Phil, straight into whatever danger he'd be facing.

Clint barely resisted the urge to stamp his foot in sheer frustration. He knew that Phil would have done anything to keep Crystal from going; from what Melinda said, she'd jumped on him the moment Lockjaw had begun to teleport him to wherever the hells Daisy was. "Like my family aren't trouble magnets as it is…" he muttered balefully.

Melinda touched him on the shoulder. "We're going to get them back, Clint."

"Yeah, so I can yell at Phil _again_ for going off and doing shit without telling me!"

They'd just been _through_ this. Clint had _believed_ they'd come to an understanding about how Phil should let Clint _know_ when he was going to be doing something that he would usually need back up for, so he could be that aforementioned back up and keep Phil from fucking _dying_ or otherwise getting seriously _injured_.

Daisy was his daughter, too. He should have been called home immediately, the moment Crystal had come home with her story of Hydra and Loki and walking into a damned trap. Instead, Phil had gone off on his own, _again_, and this time teleporting into a completely unknown situation to face not only the Hales, but Loki as well. And what it worse was that Crystal had decided to tag along, she was six years old and didn't have any clue as to what was going on, only that she'd needed to save her sister.

Yeah, Crystal was going to be the perfect addition to their dysfunctional and idiotic family. Was Clint the _only_ one with any common sense?

Oh, he and Phil were _so_ going to have words, right after they pulled Phil out of this damned mess and brought him and the girls home. Clint wasn't about to let this go.

Phil was a grown ass man. He should know better.

"I'm as irritated about this as you are –"

"And yet you let him go on his own!" Clint snarled. "Melinda, you just stood back and let Lockjaw teleport him into danger!"

"You really think I would have been able to stop him?" Her voice was even, and the Elf was pretty sure she wasn't even bothered by him yelling at her.

She probably wasn't. She'd probably been expecting it.

Because Melinda had a point. Phil wouldn't have even been slowed down, not with his magic, and now with Daisy in danger.

He sighed, deflating. "You're right. He was never going to let anyone get in his way, because Daisy is his number one weakness."

"And you really think Daisy is the only one he'd run headfirst into danger for?" Melinda quirked an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms.

"Well, no. Not with Crystal now."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. Don't tell me you are so blind as to not see him coming after you, if something ever happened to you."

Clint started. Of course, he'd never even considered himself, but Melinda was correct once again. Phil would never leave anyone he loved in trouble, not when he had breath in his body to do something about it.

Natasha came up beside them. "You done being angry yet?" Her tone was light and teasing, but he could tell how worried she was.

"Nope, but it's under control for now."

"Good. Because Maria has Phil's location pinpointed."

Clint turned. Maria was looking quite pleased with herself as she leaned back from the map. Barney had gone to hover behind her, observing what she was doing, and for some reason she didn't seem to mind him being there.

_Clint_ minded, but there really wasn't anything he could do about it, not when it was too late to send him home.

Then he started a little. Was he really bothered by Barney wanting to help out? He was suddenly questioning that, because if he'd really wanted his brother to stay back at the traveling show, he could have had Jack or one of the others keep him back. Clint could have refused to use his Teleport Artifact until Barney had stepped away, or he could have left while his brother was fetching his bow, quiver, and daggers from the family wagon.

Instead, he'd waited, although a part of that was on Natasha. Still, his old partner hadn't taken as long as Barney had, and yet they hadn't gone directly to Triskelia. They'd _waited_.

It was coming to Clint that he kinda wanted Barney to be able to make up for his past behavior. That there was a part of him that wanted his brother back, for Barney to prove himself, that he really was sorry for what he'd done. The archer would never have believed it, back when it had been him and Natasha, and then him, Natasha, Marcus and the Dark One; they'd been the only family Clint had needed back then.

Now, though, he had Phil and Daisy and Crystal, as well as Natasha and Nick and everyone else he'd gathered around him in the last weeks since Hydra had shown up and turned his carefully ordered world upside down. Even him and Bobbi had made up, and he could tolerate Hunter now, which was something he'd never have thought possible. So, maybe it was time to give Barney a chance.

Barney's eyes were uncertain when he noticed Clint watching him, so the archer gave him a small nod, hoping that his brother would get the hint and the tacit approval of him being there. Barney relaxed a little, nodding back, then helped Maria move the table out of the way.

"Okay, people," Nick called out, as he came back into the room. "I just spoke to Baron Olympia, and we're good to go. He's not at all happy that both Hydra and Loki have decided to camp in his Barony, and wants them gone."

Clint's heart began to race. They had permission to go in. Not that it mattered much to him; after all, he would have gone in no matter what the answer was, because this was his family and there was no way he was gonna leave them there for any longer than necessary. It did occur to the Elf that Phil might have already kicked all that ass but, since he hadn't shown back up with their girls in tow, it didn't look to be the case. And, the longer Phil was out of touch, the more worried Clint got, because Phil tossed Alexander Pierce into a Void Point. A Wizard of Catherine Hale's caliber shouldn't have caused him all that much trouble.

"What are we waiting for?" he demanded, adjusting his quiver's strap across his chest.

"We're waiting for your back up," Nick answered. "I know you want to go and get them, Hawk, but you can't do it by yourself. Phil did that, and we haven't heard from him. He's a scary motherfucker, who can handle all sorts of shit, but he hasn't come back yet which means he probably ran into more trouble than he could handle."

He wanted to fight his friend on it, but Clint knew he couldn't because Nick was correct. He'd just been thinking the same thing, which was why he'd been in a hurry.

"He wouldn't be alone," Barney spoke up. "I'd be going with him."

"Yeah, while I appreciate the gesture," Nick drawled, "I highly doubt you'd be able to watch Barton's back against at least three Wizards that we know of."

Natasha arched an eyebrow at him, sheer disdain in that silent gesture.

"Yeah, I know." Nick waved a hand. "You're all badass and shit. But badass will only get you so far. We have no idea what's in those mountains, and we need to stack the deck if we hope to get our family out of there."

Sometimes Nick spoke good sense. It would have been a shock, knowing his past, but Clint had seen him change over the years, becoming the man who'd cleaned up the mess that Triskelia had been in those years ago. He'd gone from being an angry young man to a responsible Baron and, chances were, that had been who he was always meant to be even when he was burning down villages with the Dark One.

"And what do you have in mind?" Natasha inquired.

"It's an idea I had, called the Avengers Initiative. A quick-response team that can go wherever they would be needed quickly. I had you and Barton in for it, to be perfectly frank."

Well, this was the first Clint was hearing of it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be involved in that at all. All the archer wanted to do was be with his new family; after all, he and Phil were going to get married, and spend the rest of the Elf's life together and there wasn't any chance he was going to risk that by joining up with Nick's hand-picked team of Baronial mercenaries…

Unless he took Ashildr up on her offer to become Jack's counterpart.

No, he wasn't going to be distracted by it yet. He had other things to worry about before even thinking about doing something so life-changing than that.

Although, if he did, he could be a part of this Avengers thing and not have to ever worry about not coming home to his family. He could spend eternity with Phil, raising whatever family they chose to have. Yes, there would be heartache when their children would pass on, but wouldn't it be worth it in the end? To keep Phil company throughout the centuries, so that the man he loved would never be alone?

Clint shook his head in order to clear his thoughts. Natasha was watching him, a knowing look in her pale eyes. She knew him, knew what Ashildr had claimed, and was assuming he was thinking about it. She would be assuming correctly, but then there were times when the Elf really believed that Nat could read his mind. It would have been damned scary if it wasn't so usual an event that Clint halfway expected it whenever they were together. It was what made them such close partners.

"Rogers has volunteered to lead the team," Nick went on, "as long as we disguise him so no one knows that the newest Paladin of the Western Lands is actually my Knights' Commander."

"And also the original Paladin of the Western Lands," Clint drawled. That actually made sense. Steve had always been an excellent leader; see the historical Howling Commandos as the best example. He was a natural when it came to heading up teams, and he didn't know how Nick had managed to convince him to take up the Paladin mantle again, even if he was going to be wearing some sort of disguise in order to hide his identity.

"There are also a couple of others," Nick went on, "and hopefully they'll all agree to it. We could use just this sort of team, one that can move swiftly and get to where the trouble is before the actual army can. The Council of Barons has already approved it, and the Avengers will answer to the Council directly…which is another reason I contacted Baron Jeremy for permission to practically invade his Barony. The Avengers have to appear to be on the up and up, and that means never going somewhere they aren't wanted."

Clint narrowed his eyes. "And I'm assuming that one of these so-called Avengers is a Wizard?"

"I'm hoping to talk Phil into it. That is, if we can pull his stupid ass out of the fire he's gone and jumped into." Nick sounded absolutely disgusted, but Clint knew it hid the worry he was feeling about his oldest friend.

"For now," Stephen's voice came from the doorway, "we'll be going along."

Clint turned. Stephen was standing in the open doorway, and he wasn't alone; Ianto and Jack were with him, both looking very much ready for a fight. Ianto was even carrying a bow, quiver at his hip, which was a surprise and had the Elf wondering just how good he was. If Toshiko had been the one to teach him, then he would have been an expert.

Along with them was a tall man, dressed in ornate armor and carrying a hammer. His long blond hair was pulled back from his face with a leather thong, bringing the man's cheekbones and jawline into sharp relief. His blue eyes seemed to miss nothing as he glanced around the room.

Gods, Clint had thought _his_ arms were amazing. This guy had biceps that put the Elf's own to shame.

"Since this is also Wizard's Guild business," Ianto said, "I am going in my capacity as Grand Master of Cardinal Order."

"And I'm the bodyguard to the Grand Master of Cardinal Order." Jack leered. "Because, you know I have a thing for Ianto's body."

Clint couldn't help the chuckle that burst forth at Jack's very blatant perusal of his husband's body.

"Everyone, this is Prince Thor of Asgard," Stephen made the introductions as his ridiculous Cloak waved at them. "He'll be coming along with us."


	58. Chapter 58

Jack had gone back home immediately after Clint, Natasha, and Barney had left, making certain that Toshiko, Bobbi, and Hunter didn't mind hanging around the traveling show for the time being.

Ianto needed to know what was going on. They had to be prepared for whatever the hells was going to happen next.

He also really wanted to talk to his husband about what the UnEarthly Child had told them. There just wasn't going to be time for it now, though. It would have to wait, but Jack felt the itch of the knowledge under his skin, that this Elf calling herself Ashildr could do what she was saying she could. It seemed…impossible, and yet Jack doubted she'd be making such an offer if she couldn't back it up. It was scary and fantastic at the same time, and he just wasn't sure how to feel.

The moment he appeared within the casting chamber at home, he was racing up the stairs, yelling for Ianto as soon as he hit the hallway. His husband poked his head out of his study. "What merits shouting the house down?"

There wasn't anything teasing about the question; Ianto knew him well enough by now to have figured out at that Jack wouldn't be like this without a very good reason.

"Hydra and Loki have Daisy," he decided there was no way to sugar-coat it; not that he would have, anyway.

Ianto began cursing, falling into a couple of languages that Jack had taught him over the years. "Tell me everything." He ducked back into his study. "I need to contact Stephen."

"I don't know much," Jack admitted as his husband activated his mirror. "I only know that Andrew Garner contacted Clint on his speaking stone, telling him to get to Triskelia immediately, that Hydra and Loki had Daisy, and that Phil had gone after her."

"Of _course_ Phil went after her." Ianto sounded mildly irritated that their friend had stormed to the rescue without anyone with him. Jack could understand where it was coming from.

The mirror cleared, revealing the backdrop of Stephen's own study. In only a few moments, Wong's face appeared. _"Grand Master Ianto," _the taciturn librarian greeted.

"I need Stephen at once," Ianto didn't bother with the usual pleasantries. "It's an emergency."

Wong didn't say anything, just nodded and withdrew quickly.

"I was afraid something like this was going to happen," Ianto sighed. "Daisy's proved herself as too much of a target for Hydra."

Jack nodded. "And they know Phil will do anything to get her back."

"Exactly. She's the perfect bait."

"Yeah, but Phil has also proved that he'd burn Hydra to the ground if anything happens to his daughter. And, for them to risk taking her for a _third_ time…"

Ianto snorted. "I can't believe Hydra would be that stupid, to be honest. Even though I thought they might make this same play again."

Exactly. Jack felt the exact same way. "It's like that old saying: insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Only substitute 'stupidity' for 'insanity' in Hydra's case."

Actually, Hydra had done a lot of stupid things, starting with approaching Phil in the first place. They'd counted on him wanting to keep his past a secret; they hadn't taken into consideration that, once Daisy was threatened, that he'd gladly reveal himself to whoever could help him get her back. Phil had blown his past up and out of the water, for good or for ill, and now every single Wizard knew that the Dark One and Phil Coulson were one and the same. Hydra hadn't believed he'd be willing to do that, but then they'd also believed that he'd adopted Daisy just so he could use her as a mole to worm his way into Cardinal Order.

Jack had to wonder just how Hydra had survived for centuries if that sort of planning had been the norm.

Stephen appeared within the mirror, his face grave. _"Wong told me it's urgent."_

"It is. Hydra and Loki have Daisy, and Phil went to confront them. Alone." He went on to give what little detail Jack had shared.

It was Stephen's turn to curse. _"I'm on my way –"_

"No," Ianto interrupted. "We need you to get to Prince Thor. Phil told him we'd inform him when Loki was found, and he'll be of help in capturing his mad brother."

_"__I can do that." _Stephen nodded. _"Where shall I bring him?"_

"Triskelia," Jack cut in. "That's where Andrew told Clint to come. Baron Nick is going to be gathering his Avengers, and that's where they'll be meeting before they go in after Phil." He also explained about Andrew mentioning something about a magical tracker, and that Mistress Maria would be making the attempt to use it to find where Phil had gone.

Stephen raised a single eyebrow but didn't question the Avengers part. However, Jack knew that Ianto had been planning on contacting the other Grand Master about the UnEarthly Child and what her prophecy had been about…as much as they could glean from all those riddles.

Jack also knew he was also going to have to explain what he'd heard from the Child – Ashildr – about Clint's choice, but that could wait. For now, they needed to get ready for what was about to happen.

And rescue Phil and Daisy, if it came to that. Jack was pretty sure Phil was perfectly capable of destroying Hydra, but they had no idea just how Hydra and Loki had prepared for their friend's sudden appearance in their midst. Sure, there would have been surprise, but taking Daisy has assured Phil's coming after them with all the force of his magic. Hydra wouldn't have stood a chance, not with only two of them left.

However, there was Loki to consider.

Loki had once defeated the Dark One, although from what Phil had claimed it had been more from guile than magical strength and skill. Phil had been baldly honest about how arrogant he'd been back then, how he hadn't even bothered to take his enemy's measure before stepping into combat with the crazy Asgardian. Jack knew that Phil wasn't that arrogant anymore; anything he claimed about his magical ability was now based on truth. Phil truly _was_ the post powerful Void Wizard in the world.

However, that wouldn't matter if Phil was ambushed and blindsided by whatever trap he would have been stepping into.

Yes, the Void would protect him. But that didn't mean that Phil couldn't be hurt, and badly too.

"I'll be along in a bit," Ianto continued. "As this is Guild business, the Council of Barons can't object too much about the Grand Masters being there. We have precedent, after all, with the Alexander Pierce situation."

_"__And an apology later can sometimes be better than asking permission first." _Stephen looked amused by that.

"Exactly. The Council knows about Hydra, and knows we're searching for their remaining members. We have confirmation that those members are wherever Phil has gone. Therefore, I can't see them kicking up too much of a fuss about it. Besides, you and Phil are residents of the Western Lands, so that will work in your favor."

_"__And we can always claim to have invited you along, to help handle Hydra."_

Ianto chuckled. "I would be grateful for that, my friend, if it comes down to it."

_"__Let me contact Prince Thor, and we'll meet you in Triskelia." _

With that, Stephen cut the connection, and Ianto turned to Jack. "Can you go back to the travelling show –"

"No way." Jack shook his head. "I'm with you on this. We can always say I'm acting as your bodyguard…not that you need it, but if you think I'm letting you go in there without me watching your back…besides, I'm already technically working on foreign soil, being onsite with the traveling show. Me going along with the rest of these Avengers most likely won't be looked at _too_ closely, especially since I'm married to the Cardinal Grand Master, who needs to be there on Guild business. You are _not_ leaving me behind again, Ianto Jones. So don't even suggest I stay away." He's already put Toshiko in charge, and they would have things well in hand.

"Alright." He gave in with good grace. "Let's get ready. By the time we get there, Stephen should have gotten a hold of Prince Thor."

Jack nodded, then followed Ianto up to their bedroom, glad that he'd already been wearing most of his armor and carrying his sword; he never left home without it when he was on the job, even an unofficial job like he'd been on with Carson's. Ianto, however, would want to at least get his wand and his ceremonial dagger, and perhaps a couple of the spelled items he'd collected or created over the years. He would be as prepared as possible for whatever they would run into, the best to help Phil in any way he could.

In the end, Ianto simply changed out of his plain work shirt and into his official tunic, his usually fastidious husband not wanting to take the time to switch out the trousers he was wearing for the ones he would wear with his robes. The tunic was all he really needed, with the runes that had been embroidered into it, but Jack had to admit it looked a little odd with the casual trousers…although he supposed, in the end, it wouldn't really matter. There was no telling what they were going to be walking into, and formal robes wouldn't have been of much use if there was a lot of hand-to-hand combat going on.

He collected the belt, tucking both dragger and wand into their specially made sheaths, and picked a few small magical items out of the custom-made cabinet for such things. Jack recognized the ring with the Blast spell on it, as well as a bracelet with several Protection wards carved into its silver surface.

Jack leaned against the doorjamb, Myfanwy leaning into his side. "What do you think we'll find?"

"I have no idea. I know Phil did research on the Hales. He would better know what to expect if and when he ever faced them, so he should be prepared for them at least. Loki…" Ianto shook his head. "Loki managed to murder Phil who, even though he wasn't at his full strength back then, still had been a very powerful Void. Yes, Phil says he's more prepared this time, and will take what he learned from that fight into consideration when facing him, but still, there's no telling what sort of schemes Loki might have come up with in his years of captivity."

"He couldn't have known that Phil survived," Jack pointed out.

"True. However, you know those sorts of megalomaniacs, Jack. Loki would have been replaying what he'd long thought of as his victory for years, if just to entertain himself during his prison stay. He would also have come up with other scenarios for the duel, wanting to gloat at how Phil hadn't stood a chance in any circumstance. There's no telling what his imagination had created."

Yes, Ianto had valid points. Jack knew, in this, Loki would be the wild card. That madness would have given the Asgardian a certain unpredictability that would have had them all guessing even during a fight. Already, Jack's own mind was throwing out possible strategies, gleaned from what Phil had told them about Loki, but it really wasn't enough information to accurately predict anything that the Asgardian might have been plotting.

Jack prided himself on his ability to discern what his enemies may have planned but, in this case, he was pretty much in the dark. It was irritating, but it wouldn't have been the first time he'd gone into battle without a clear idea of what was going to occur.

He might have been an excellent strategist, but he was an even better improviser.

Then a thought came to him. "Take your bow."

Usually, Ianto kept his bow and quiver in the wardrobe, only bringing them out when he had the opportunity to travel with the team. Toshiko had taught him the bow, back on that first, fateful, mission together; Suzie had also been the one to show Ianto how to use a sword, but he would never be any sort of swordsman. However, Ianto was deadly with a bow, although certainly not on the same par as Toshiko herself or Clint Barton.

But then, Clint was in a class all to himself where marksmanship was concerned.

At his husband's raised eyebrow, Jack replied, "In case the reason we haven't heard from Phil yet is because magic is somehow being stifled. It won't matter how powerful any of the Wizards are, if there's some sort of anti-magical barrier where we're going."

Ianto considered that. "You're right. If we know anything, it's that there are spells and Artifacts out there that can do just that."

He went to fetch them, his belt threaded through the quiver's strap and the bow – after Ianto checked the string to see if it was frayed or damaged in any way – looped over his shoulder.

"And what about the Scrying crystal you created after Daisy was kidnapped the first time?" Jack figured it would be useful, if the tracker Phil had left behind failed in some way.

Ianto shook his head. "Phil cast certain Protections on her after Garrett Scryed for her, believing that Hydra would have had time to create more Artifacts that could be used to trace her. She's impervious to conventional Scrying at the moment."

Alright, that made a certain amount of sense, but Jack didn't have to like it. Having a back-up plan was always a good idea, but he could also see why Phil would have done such a thing.

"Shall we?" Ianto prompted, once he had the bow settled the way he liked it.

Jack gave him a grin, although it was more for show than any sort of pleasure at what they were about to do. "Let's." He refrained from offering his husband his arm; that sort of frivolity wouldn't have been appreciated under the circumstances.

They were possibly going into battle. And there wasn't anyone Jack would rather have by his side than the man he loved.


	59. Chapter 59

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Fifty-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Thor was unused to such inaction, and found himself feeling somewhat bored.

It had only been a day since meeting with Grand Master Phil, and yet he had been hoping for word of Loki sooner than this.

He should not have been so surprised at the lack of results. He knew his brother well; knew that Loki would only be found if and when he wished to be. Thor had spent years in the attempt to figure out Loki's mind, and every one of his attempts had come up to failure. Before Loki had gone so irredeemably mad, the Prince had taken pride in his brother's labyrinthine mind, to have such a clever sibling.

However, now it was proving to be a hindrance in his bringing Loki home.

Still, he had diversions, provided to him by his hosts.

Master Richard and his daughter invited him to dine at their home, which Thor gladly agreed to. He had found both Wizards to be pleasant company, and often found himself laughing in delight at tales told by Master Richard, who truly was a storyteller of great talent. The Prince was certainly glad that the Wizard had made of himself a second vocation of writing down his stories and making them available to the public. Thor made a personal vow to locate some of these books and to take them home to Asgard to be read at his leisure.

Sir Katherine had invited him to work with her Knights, and Thor had reveled in the opportunity to practice combat with so worthy a group of warriors. There was been twice he'd nearly been beaten, which had been a revelation; Thor was readily knowledgeable with the tales of his prowess, so knowing that there were fighters in the world who could very well have bested him had, not only the Knights themselves, but the Commander who led them, gaining Thor's respect.

It was from a meeting with Baroness Victoria on the subject of creating an embassy for Asgard in the city, that he was approached by a man with the demeanor of a powerful Wizard, a green serpent-like dragon on his shoulders, a deep red cloak fluttering about his legs…which appeared to wave at him as the Wizard approached. Enchanted, then.

He recognized the man from the one short conversation they had had, when Thor had requested to meet with Grand Master Phil.

"Grand Master Stephen," he greeted the Wizard cordially.

"Your Highness," the Wizard returned, "I'm glad to finally meet you in person. This is my dragon, Agamotto." The dragon hissed its own greeting.

Grand Master Stephen was dark-haired with silver touching his temples, and dark-eyed with the faint cast of the Eastern Empires about him, although he spoke without accent. When he shook hands in the Western Lands way, Thor could not help but notice thin lines of scars on the Wizard's hands, and he wondered what had caused such marks to be present.

Thor bowed his head in respect. "To what do I owe the honor of this meeting?"

"Perhaps we can speak privately?" the Grand Master suggested.

That had Thor's heart picking up speed. Perhaps this was about Loki? However, it had been Grand Master Phil who had promised to contact him when there was word.

Baroness Victoria cut in, "You can use my sitting room, Stephen."

Grand Master Stephen gave her a small, pleased smile. "Thank you, Victoria. We won't be long."

"I have to meet with my Ministers anyway," she returned the smile. "So take your time."

With that, the Baroness withdrew down the corridor, leaving the Prince and the Grand Master alone. "If you would?" Thor gestured toward the open door; he and the Baroness had been speaking within, and he was familiar with the chamber.

Grand Master Stephen swept by, the cloak moving in ways that were very different from how its Wizard was walking. Thor followed, taking a seat near the rather ornate fireplace; the Wizard's cloak flew off on its own to float above the floor near the door. Agamotto slithered down his companion's body to curl up on the cushion next to Grand Master Stephen after he'd taken his own seat on the sofa.

"Is this about Loki?" Thor demanded, forgetting his politeness in his urgency to know what the Grand Master was doing there.

The Wizard nodded. "Yes. He has colluded with Hydra to hold Grand Master Phil's eldest daughter, Daisy, hostage, in order to get Phil to do what they want."

Grand Master Stephen's face went even graver as he explained about the trap for young Daisy, and how she and her younger sister had walked into it unawares. He went on to tell Thor how they had received the information – he had known, of course, that dragons often had secondary abilities, so little Crystal's dragon teleporting her out of danger was not a surprise – and how Grand Master Phil had gone to fetch Novice Daisy away from her kidnappers.

"While understandable that Grand Master Phil would walk into danger for his child," Thor mused, "that may not have been the best thing he could have done." Yes, while he respected greatly the need for the Grand Master of Voids to go to rescue his daughter, going in blind might not have been the considered course of action.

However, this was the man who had survived Loki's attack on him the first time; Thor was aware that there was far more about the man than outward appearance would suggest. He would have had to have been quite powerful indeed to have risen to the lofty position he now held.

Grand Master Stephen snorted softly. "I agree, not that I don't understand why he did it. However, I've been sent to fetch you to Barony Triskelia, where we're planning the rescue, since we're all fairly certain Phil won't come out on his own."

"And you have no certain knowledge of just what sort of situation he may have walked into."

"Exactly. Baron Nick is gathering a group together in order to go in after Phil, and we thought you'd want to go along, since Loki is your brother."

"Indeed, I should want to very much." He stood. "Shall we leave now?"

Grand Master Stephen grinned up at him. "I thought you might say that…which was why I already let the Baroness' aide know we would be leaving immediately."

Sir Kevin was back on duty for that position, so Thor knew that Baroness Victoria would, indeed, receive the message.

The Grand Master of Greats also stood, and his cloak flew to him immediately, settling once more upon his shoulders. The Wizard reached down and Agamotto curled his way up the man's arm to curl back around his companion's neck. Thor was quite fond of snakes, yet this was the first time he had even known that there were dragons without wings in the world. He wondered if Agamotto was unique, or if there were others.

"One moment." Thor held out his hand, summoning Mjolnir to him. He had left his hammer in his rooms, as carrying a weapon into a meeting with the Baroness could have been construed as being in bad taste.

Luckily, the door was open, else Mjolnir would have broken through under Thor's call.

Grand Master Stephen looked intrigued when the hammer slammed into Thor's waiting hand. His eyes flashed green, then back to their usual dark hue. "That is quite an ancient Artifact," he commented.

"Aye," Thor agreed. "It was passed down throughout my family line. When magic vanished, Mjolnir's power waned for a time. However, it is now its old strength, and answers to the one who is worthy of it."

"I would love to know more," the Grand Master said, "but we should be going."

To Thor's surprise, Grand Master Stephen did not produce a Teleport Artifact. Instead, his fingers made certain motions; it was then that the Prince noticed the odd ring on the Wizard's hand. With a circular swish, a portal opened before them, limned in golden sparks.

"That is fantastical!" he exclaimed. Thor had not seen such portals before; however, he was not a Wizard. Perhaps such things were not so rare as he believed? Until that moment, he had only seen used such items as Wizards would enchant, in order to teleport anywhere.

Through the portal, Thor could make out a large corridor, people stopping and staring as the portal drew their attention. Two did not seem at all surprised by the portal; both men, handsome, of a height, one with dark hair and the other lighter. One was in full armor, blue-grey cloak sweeping his calves, the armor obviously used but very well cared-for, armor that had saved the life of its owner many times in the past. His blue eyes were discerning as they took Thor's measure, and seemed to approve of what he had seen. Thor did not know this warrior, but was grateful for that approval.

The other also had blue eyes, but there was a thin band of gold surrounding their pupils, giving the man a wise appearance. He wore black trousers that were plain, and a deep red tunic that was perhaps part of an official set of robes. The dagger and wand in the belt said that this was a Wizard, as well as the lovely red and gold dragon that accompanied him, but the bow and quiver were a surprise. He had not known that the Western Lands had such things as Warrior Wizards, and yet there was the evidence that they did exist.

Grand Master Stephen stepped through the portal, and Thor followed, the magical gateway closing behind him. "How long have you been here?" Grand Master Stephen inquired of the two men.

"We've just arrived," the Wizard answered with a pleasant accent. Thor thought he might have been from the western United Kingdom, perhaps from Cardiff, although he could not be certain.

"Prince Thor of Asgard," the Great Grand Master introduced, "this is Ianto Jones, Grand Master of Cardinal Order, and his dragon, Myfanwy; and Ianto's husband, Captain Jack Harkness."

Being yet another Grand Master would certainly explain the fact that the Wizard, Ianto Jones, was also a Warrior. He bowed his head in honorable greeting.

And then, he turned to the Captain, having recognized the name at once.

This was the legendary Deathless.

He appeared to be perfectly normal. There was nothing that proclaimed him as the Deathless, except for an agedness in his eyes that spoke of millennia of experience. Captain Harkness would have been a magnificent warrior indeed, and Thor wondered if, perhaps once Loki was taken and events ran their course, the Deathless would deign to spar with him. He would have to find a polite way to ask.

Captain Harkness was smirking, as if he could guess what Thor was thinking…although, the Prince supposed that would have been possible, as the Deathless would have, without doubt, been the subject of such scrutiny before. If the stories were indeed true, then the Deathless had hidden his nature for centuries, until it became impossible. How many people had gawped at him, once having been introduced? Thor vowed that he would not do so, as it would most likely make the man uncomfortable.

Instead, Thor offered his hand to both men, in the Western Lands fashion. Each had the callouses of those who could defend themselves, although Grand Master Ianto's were not as evident as Captain Harkness'. Yes, the Captain indeed knew how to use the sword that he was wearing so easily.

"Your Highness," the Deathless said, "I had the pleasure of meeting your great-grandfather during one of King Buri's visits to the Kingdom of Xandar."

Thor could not keep the smile from his face. "I would enjoy hearing the tale."

"And I'll enjoy telling you. Buri was an old hells' raiser…"

That seemed to be on par with the stories his father had been fond of telling the court. "Perhaps after we are done with our business with Loki."

The Deathless winked. "Count on it."

Was the man…flirting with him?

Grand Master Ianto rolled his eyes fondly. "Jack."

"I'm just being sociable!" Captain Harkness protested, although Thor could hear the laughter in his tone.

Ah, this was the way of the good Captain, and his husband understood. Thor could see the joke of it, and laughed in return.

"We should go, before they leave without us." Grand Master Ianto's voice was still teasing, and yet he was serious. He closed his eyes, and when they opened, they had changed; Thor had never been a witness to such a change, the pupils expanding until there was no blue left, and that halo of gold that had been present before had also grown, glittering like an eclipse, surrounding the blackness. This would be the outward sign of the Grand Master's magic, and was as equally impressive as anything Thor had witnessed so far.

There were giants being born within the kingdoms, and Thor was grateful to have been seeing such a thing within his lifetime.

"This way." With those words, Grand Master Ianto strode away, Myfanwy at his side, Captain Harkness two steps back and protecting the Wizard's other flank. Grand Master Stephen followed without questioning, so Thor did as well, confident that they would arrive at their destination with the Cardinal Grand Master leading the way.

Castle Triskelia was a remarkable edifice, clean and bright, the people they passed seemingly happy and well cared-for. Thor had heard the reputation of Baron Nicholas Fury; he had inquired as to all of the Barons of the Western Lands after the Council meeting, although he had been passing familiar with them from his studies of other lands in his preparation to, someday, take the throne of Asgard. Baroness Victoria had been disparaging, calling the Baron 'pushy' and strong-willed', and yet there had been such respect in her words that Thor could read beyond the obvious clash of personalities and of ideals to the heart of the Baroness' true feelings for the man. Having met him as well, Thor's own impressions lined up admirably with Andrade's ruler…this was the sort of man who could have done everything to improve life within the Barony he had taken from its former Baron. From what Baroness Victoria had explained, Triskelia had been in poor hands, and Baron Nick had performed a miracle in its rehabilitation.

The group traveled up an ornate staircase and into the upper floors of the castle. It was nothing like the castle Thor had grown up in; however, nothing could compare to the glory that is Asgard. Nor was it necessary, the Prince had found. Each and every country had its own ways, and while he might have been overly proud of being of Asgard, Thor was aware that these people would have been equally as proud of bring from Triskelia. He could certainly respect that.

On an upper floor, Grand Master Ianto turned to the left at the landing, toward an open doorway in the short hallway. From within, Thor could make out people speaking.

"And I'm assuming that one of these so-called Avengers is a Wizard?"

It was a voice Thor did not recognize. It was male, with a very faint accent that he could not identify, although his speech was of the Western Lands. Thor understood the reference to the Avengers; the Baron had spoken of it during the Council meeting that Thor had attended, and he believed it was an idea worth investing in.

"I'm hoping to talk Phil into it. That is, if we can pull his stupid ass out of the fire he's gone and jumped into."

That voice was recognizable as Baron Nicholas Fury. His wish for Grand Master Phil to join these Avengers made sense; he had stated that the Grand Master's magic would be thrown into the hunt for Loki, and he would be an infinitely worthy addition, from the impressions Thor had made of the man during their short meeting.

"For now," Grand Master Stephen interrupted the discussion, "we'll be going along."

Everyone in the room turned, and Thor took their initial measure. There were two Elves, close enough in aspect to have been brothers, albeit the elder had reddish hair while the younger was more of a dark blond, his blue eyes as sharp as a spear point as he regarded Thor in turn. Both men held bows, as well as other weapons; the blond with a sword and a dagger on his belt, as well as a blade tucked into his well-worn boots. His brother carried only a pair of daggers, and Thor believed that he was less of a warrior than his sibling.

A brownish-golden dragon sat at the younger Elf's feet. Perhaps he was also a Wizard? That would explain the dragon.

A red-headed woman stood next to them, her skin a delicate porcelain, also armed for battle, dressed in black leather that lent itself to ease of movement. She held herself perfectly still, and yet there was a coiled energy about her that Thor had no wish to experience unleashed upon him, as he considered that she may very well have the capacity to best him in open combat.

The elder, black-haired woman was of the same character as her younger counterpart. She had the demeanor of the Eastern Empires, her dark eyes implacable in her inscrutable face. However, she was unarmed, and yet the Prince understood that this woman had no need of weapons in order to kill. It would have been intimidating, if Thor did not already admire her for it.

The others in the chamber he knew: Baron Nicholas and his Court Wizard, Mistress Maria Hill, along with her blue dragon. The Baron had not yet armed and armored himself, but that would be soon if judging from the fact that he had already been standing when Thor and his group had arrived. They would not wish to delay, and Grand Master Phil was the Baron's oldest friend, if what he had stated in Council was true. Thor had no reason to doubt that, especially from the tone of the words he had overheard the man say about asking the Grand Master to join this Avengers Initiative. They had been aggravated, and yet there had been an undertone of worry to them.

"Since this is also Wizard's Guild business," Grand Master Ianto spoke, "I am going in my capacity as Grand Master of Cardinal Order."

"And I'm the bodyguard to the Grand Master of Cardinal Order," Captain Harkness' tone was quite lascivious indeed, as well as his glance at this husband. "Because, you know I have a thing for Ianto's body."

That comment caused the younger Elf to burst out in laughter, which only reinforced Thor's conclusion that this was the Deathless' way, and that his friends was very aware of his manner with others.

"Everyone, this is Prince Thor of Asgard." Thor bowed as Grand Master Stephen introduced him. "He'll be coming along with us."

The Baron took over introductions.

Thor had been correct in his assumption about the Elves; they were, indeed, brothers, Barney the elder and Clint the younger. There was some tension between the brothers, one that was not explained, and Thor was not about to pry no matter how curious he was of the circumstances that would cause the siblings to have their obvious falling out. The dragon was Master Clint's, and Thor was also interested in learning that he was the lover of Grand Master Phil, and the other father to their children.

Which was when he learned that, not only had the elder of their daughters been taken, the younger had managed to be taken with Grand Master Phil when he had left to face Loki and Hydra. To his credit, Master Clint was quite upset by that turn of events, and he looked as if he would have left in that moment himself if he had known where to go.

The redheaded woman was Natasha Romanov, Baron Nick's court spy, and Master Clint's sister of choice. The other woman was Melinda May, Grand Master Phil's friend and Steward of his estate and, from the respect in Baron Nick's voice when he introduced both women, they were indeed formidable fighters in their own right.

"We only have a couple of others," Baron Nick said, once the introductions were completed, "and then we can go and drag Phil, Daisy, and Crystal out of the mess they've found themselves in."

"We're here."

There were four men who appeared within the open door that had led to what Thor had believed was the Baron's bedchamber. They had obviously teleported there, which was an odd place to intrude upon and yet Baron Nick did not seem at all surprised by their sudden emergence.

Thor knew two of the men: Triskelia's Knights' Commander, Sir Steve Rogers; and Baron Tony Stark of Ferrous.

However, both were wearing odd armor. Sir Steve's was somewhat old-fashioned, and yet battle worn and well cared-for, a full helmet tucked under one arm. The tabard over the armor was in shades of red, white, and blue, with a large white star in the center of the chest. His shield was round, and followed the same color scheme of the tabard; concentric circles in red and blue, with a white star in the inner blue circle. There was something about the appearance of it that niggled at Thor's memory, but he could not place it.

Baron Tony's armor was a gaudy red and gold, the colors of Barony Ferrous, and he also had a full helmet in one arm. However, there was a bright blue stone in the chest piece, obviously magical, and the Prince had the impression that the stone powered the armor. There was a matching glow coming from the one palm he could make out, and there were no weapons accoutered on the armor, unlike Sir Steve's.

The two others were unknown to Thor. One man was of average height, dark hair slightly grey in places, dark hair hidden behind spectacles. His clothes were also rather average, and the Prince thought he would have passed this man on the street and not given him a second glance.

And yet, there was a faint aura of otherworldliness about him. Thor was not a Wizard, so he had no way of discerning just what that aura was. He assumed he would be informed if such knowledge was important.

The man was introduced as Dr. Bruce Banner. Perhaps he was a healer? They may certainly have need of one if the day went badly.

The second was yet another warrior, and was missing his left arm; undoubtably some sort of battle injury. He had the look of a Berserker about him, with his long hair, beard, and haunted pale eyes, and was introduced as Sir Steve's boon companion, Sir James Barnes.

"This is the first official mission for the Avengers Initiative," Baron Nick stated. "Let's go and kick some ass."


	60. Chapter 60

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty

Author: Milady Dragon

Author's note: Sorry this is later than usual, but I had to take my laptop in for service today and it's taking longer than I thought it would, so I had to pull out the crappy desktop I had stored in the closet. Thank goodness for One Drive, is all I'm saying.

Also, I won't be posting on Saturday. My family is coming for a visit. I'm not so sure it's that good an idea, but my parents were bound to start traveling again once restrictions were raised even a little. I'll be back with the next chapter a week from today.

* * *

Tony reattached the repaired gauntlet to the armor, stepping back and inspecting what he'd created with a critical yet pleased eye.

He'd left Pepper sleeping in their bed after a _really_ fantastic afternoon, basking in the afterglow and needing to put his hands to something that wasn't her. He should have been exhausted, but really good sex just had a way of energizing him, and Pepper knew that, which would be why she'd be expecting him to be gone when she awoke. Hells, Tony had gotten some of his best work done after being with Pepper, so he'd gotten up, cleaned himself up and gotten dressed, then headed back down to his workshop, where Bruce gave him a knowing wink and had gone back to working on whatever equations that had been keeping him busy while Tony had been busy in a completely different way.

When he'd first come up with the idea for a suit of armor that ran off the gemstone in his chest, Tony hadn't been at all certain it would work; shit, for the longest time, he hadn't even been certain of where the idea had come from, until it had finally come to him that, somehow, the stone had given it to him, which was creepy now that he'd really done some thinking about it.

He'd been fairly sure that the stone would handle the strain of powering all the gizmos he'd wanted to add. After all, Tony had lived with the thing for years, but in all that time it hadn't done so much as peep at him; however, that certainty had been as strong as anything else in his life. Sure, it kept the damage done by the shrapnel near his heart from getting any worse, but that had been all it had seemed inclined to do.

The Baron might not have known much about magical Artifacts, but even Tony had worked it out that the stone hadn't just been magicked up in order to save his life. That there had to be more to it than that.

The thing was, a Wizard didn't waste time and energy on enchanting an object that did absolutely nothing. There had to be more to the stone than just sitting in his skin and letting out just enough power to keep him alive.

Thinking about it now, he really should have approached Ianto in the first place. But there had been a part of Tony that, back then, had been badly hurt by all the betrayal, and he hadn't trusted anyone outside of Pepper and Rhodey. All he'd known about Grand Master Ianto Jones was that he was a powerful bastard who could read Artifacts like everyone else read books, and who'd taken control of Cardinal Order with the proverbial iron fist. Just from that alone, he'd assumed that Ianto was someone who wouldn't have had time or energy to indulge Tony's need to know about just what had been attached to him pretty much against his will.

It had been later on that he'd gotten to know Ianto, to know that he'd been Pepper's teaching Master, and that he could be trusted almost as much as he trusted his wife and his best friend.

And now Bruce. But that was an entirely different story altogether.

Anyway.

Yeah, he really should have spoken to Ianto. Should have gotten the skinny on the gemstone. It probably wouldn't have stopped him from building the armor and the series of syphons so that it could power it, but he might have treated the thing with a little more respect than he had.

The armor was rooted in the notion that he might very well need a way to protect his Barony from outside threats. If anyone understood that sort of thing, it was Tony Stark…although, to be fair, too much of the shit he'd had to deal with had come from _within_ the Barony, from Obadiah Stane in particular, who'd wanted to get the rightful Baron out of the way in order to hide his improprieties on the off-chance that Tony would want to take over and call for an accounting. The thing was, Tony hadn't had any desire at all to be Baron, and it had been Stane's need to keep that from happening that had made Tony take up the Baronial throne in the first place.

What an irony _that_ had been.

What had been a reluctant assumption of power had become something that Tony wanted to keep until he could no longer perform his duties. Sure, there was all that damned bureaucracy – and there could be a lot less of that, thanks much – but, on the whole, Tony was quite pleased with the job he'd been doing. Ferrous was prosperous, its people thriving, and he'd discovered within himself a need to protect the innocents that he ruled over.

Pepper had claimed that he'd come a long way from the shallow wastrel who's only really thought about getting from one party to the next, hopping from one bed to another, and avoiding all sorts of responsibility like it was a plague-carrying rodent.

She had a definite point.

Still, the shock had been real when Ianto had revealed what he'd gotten from the stone. It turned out to be an Artifact of genuine Power, which Tony didn't know meant he was thrilled that it was attached to him forever, or if he was terrified by the very notion of it never coming off.

Still, it had confirmed to him that the thing – Space Stone, really? – could, indeed, do what Tony had wanted it to. It had been confirmation of that instinct he'd had about it being far more powerful than just keeping Tony's ass around past its time.

"I have those power consumption equations done," Bruce's voice broke into his thoughts. "Although, from what we know about the stone now, we really don't need them."

Tony waved that away. "Maybe not for this," he nodded toward the armor, "but we can adapt them for other magical Artifacts that we might run across." Those sorts of equations would be dead useful to Wizards all over the world, and all it had taken was a man without a single magical bone in his body to come up with them.

Well, birth magic, that was. There were still the leftover curses that Ross had cast. But Bruce seemed fine with waiting to have those removed, and had said that there were more important things to do first, especially since the curses were so deeply ingrained and it would take a lot out of Ianto to break them. At least they couldn't be triggered remotely anymore, and Bruce would have come form of control over them if they _were_ somehow to activate.

"True. We can get another monograph out of them easily."

Tony didn't understand the need to publish, but he could certainly get behind Bruce doing just that with these particular equations.

"Tony." Pepper's voice came from the door.

He turned. His wife must have had time to rise and get dressed; it was a casual skirt and blouse, just for around the house wear, in a shade of teal that the Baron adored her in. Happy was nowhere to be seen, which was odd but not worrying.

What was worrying was the fact that Pepper looked bothered by something. "What's up?" He would do whatever was necessary to get that expression off her face.

"Steve is here, with Sir James."

Tony perked up. It was good to know the former Winter Knight was up and around, and hanging out with his old best friend, even if he didn't remember who Steve was. "You think Sir James would let me work on a new arm for him? I'd have to have help with the magical bits, but I'm sure with all the Wizards I know someone would be willing to help…" His mind was already making plans, and it took him several heartbeats to realize that Pepper was still looking rather upset. "Okay…what's wrong?"

"Steve asked for his old armor and tabard, and he has his shield with him."

Well, _that_ was a surprise.

When Steve had moved to Triskelia, he'd chosen to leave the Paladin behind; instead of taking his old arms and armor with him, Steve had thought to have new commissioned in order to reflect his new position as Knights' Commander. So, for him to be asking for it now…

"Fury's activated the Avengers Initiative."

It was the only thing that made sense. Baron Nick would have wanted the Paladin of the Western Lands in it, to lead. After all, Steve had that sort of experience, and the very symbol of the Paladin would still be powerful even after so many centuries. There had been many attempts at finding another to replace Steve when he'd vanished, but none had had the same impact as Sir Steven Rogers had. Hells, even after three centuries his history – as wrong as it appeared to be in the books, thanks Howard – was still being taught to impressionable young children as an example of a righteous soldier in a righteous cause.

"It must because of Loki," Bruce commented. "I bet he's made some sort of strike."

Tony began to bustle about the lab. "Help me with the armor, Bruce." He needed to be ready before Steve and Sir James left again; there was no way he was being left behind.

Bruce hastened to obey, as Tony stripped his stained work shirt off, revealing the Space Stone in all its glory. "At least you got that actuator repaired," his friend said as he and Tony began removing the armor from its stand.

"Yeah, I won't drop out of the sky now." He tried to make it a joke, but knew it fell flat.

Bruce rolled his eyes. "And use the helmet this time."

"And I'll use the helmet this time." Tony wanted to return the eye roll, but he'd worked out just how integral the helmet was to the balance of the armor. Besides, if he _did_ happen to fall out of the sky, his head would be protected.

"Tony."

Pepper's tone had him stopping what he was doing and walking to her, taking her hands in his. "I'm going to be as careful as possible," he promised. "We don't even know what Loki's up to yet. It might not be anything at all."

"It's not just Loki," Steve added, coming into the workshop, Sir James by his side like some sort of one-armed shadow…and that was where Happy had gotten to, he was busy riding Sir James' shoulder.

The ancient armor suited Steve in ways that the modern style didn't, and the colorful tabard and shield were a look back on a time when those sorts of symbols were needed.

His eyes noticed the stone, and Tony realized this was the first time Steve had actually seen it. Sure, he'd heard about it, but the Baron wasn't the sort to go around showing off the thing that was keeping him alive. There were days when he was surprised Pepper wasn't grossed out by all the scarring, if he was being honest, and was grateful for her ability to accept him as he was.

"Hydra?" Of course, it was Hydra. If what everyone was assuming was true, then it had been Hydra who'd set Loki free in the first place.

Eyes snapping up from where they'd been staring at the gem, Steve said, "It gets worse."

He explained.

Yes, definitely worse.

Pepper had gone pale at the news; cooing unhappily – no pun intended - Happy left Sir James' shoulder to cuddle with his mistress. "Of course Phil went in after Daisy by himself. But Crystal…"

"From what Steward Melinda said," Steve replied, "no one even knew Crystal was going to latch onto Phil in the midst of the teleportation, so they couldn't stop it before it was too late."

"And no one's heard from Phil at all."

"No. We…have to assume the worst at this point."

The thing was, everyone in their circle knew that Phil couldn't be killed, that the Void had chosen him to be its Champion whatever, and that meant he was pretty much immortal. But Tony had to wonder just how that worked, and if there were wounds that couldn't be healed. Sure, he'd survived being stabbed through the back, but what if he was beheaded? Or bled out? Gods, anything could happen, especially if his magic was somehow cut off.

And then there was Daisy, because Phil would let them do anything to him if it meant Mini Pepper was kept safe.

Shit, this was a mess.

"Doctor Banner," Steve turned to the theorist, "you should come as well. You could be useful."

Bruce frowned. "I'm not sure how."

The Knight looked…well, like he'd been told something that almost strained his sense of incredulity. "I have it on good authority that the curses you've been put under may come in handy."

"How does that even work?" Tony piped up.

"I have no idea, because I don't know magic. But, there was this prophecy, and in it was a green fist that Ianto interpreted to mean what Dr. Banner may turn into with the curses in effect."

Bruce's eyebrows had risen almost up to his hairline, and he was gaping like a fish, which really was a very unattractive look on Tony's friend. "Alright…not that I actually put much stock in that sort of thing, the equations really don't work that way…"

"It was a prophecy by the UnEarthly Child, if that makes a difference."

Fuck.

"Yeah," Tony sighed, "we all know about her. She's always right, even if it's not evident until after the fact." If she was saying that Brucie was involved with the Avengers, even if it was in her own roundabout way…

Then, Brucie was part of the Avengers.

His friend looked resigned. "Then let's get Tony armored up, and we can go."

It didn't take long to get all the connections hooked up and the armor bolted on; they'd tried it with the usual sort of armor, but the power distribution hadn't worked nearly as well. Once the final gauntlet was on, the unmistakable hum of the actuators coming online and the slight vibration that told Tony that everything was in place signaled that he was ready. All he needed was the helmet, and they could do that once they got to wherever they were going.

"Triskelia," Steve answered when Tony asked about it. "Everyone is there, waiting for us. Mistress Maria pinpointed Phil's location using the tracker he left behind, and Baron Nick got us permission to go into Barony Olympia after him and to clean up after Loki and Hydra. Hopefully it won't get so far out of control. But, if Phil hasn't come back with Daisy and Crystal by now…"

He really hadn't needed to add that last part.

Pepper looked unbelievably worried, and Tony was confident enough in their marriage to admit it wasn't just for his safety. Pepper and Phil were friends, had been for years, so much so that he'd told her about being the Dark One when Daisy had become Pep's Novice. Pepper had managed to keep that a secret for quite a while, which was also a testament of how much she truly liked Phil. She would have ratted him out otherwise, because she took magic and the rules pretty damned seriously.

He stomped up to her, the armor making his movements really clunky. Well, Tony had never been the most graceful person in the world, and the weight of all that metal and wiring was making it worse. "Hey," he reached out and carefully took her hand, "I'm gonna be fine. And we'll bring Phil and the kids back, too."

She put on a brave face. "You'll have a team around you, Tony, so trust them to watch your back."

That was the odd thing…Tony just wasn't used to working with a team. But then, he'd been happy to work by himself until Bruce had come along, and now they were the best partnership ever. So, maybe he could adapt to that team thing.

"Now," she reached up to cup his cheek, her thumb stroking across the line of his beard, "go and bring them home. And yourself, too."

Gods, he loved this woman. She could have been demanding to come along; she was a powerful Wizard and could kick ass like nobody's business, but Pepper knew her strengths, and those didn't include any sort of battle magic. She would have only gotten in the way, and she was accepting her place was to stay home and wait, which was going to be the hardest part of all this.

He leaned forward and kissed her, keeping in chaste for the benefit of witnesses. "Be back soon, Pep."

"You better be." With that really vague threat, she stepped back, leaving the four of them in the middle of the room. "Oh, and tell Daisy this isn't excusing her from her schoolwork. And Phil is getting punched in the face for being such an idiot and storming into a mess he didn't know anything about."

Tony laughed. "I can't wait to see his face when I tell him that."

Steve held out an ornate ring with a really gaudy black stone in it. "Let's get this done," he announced as everyone reached out to rest their hands over the Knight's.

In the blink of an eye, they were in what had to have been Baron Nick's bedroom.

Tony had had no idea that Fury was such a hedonist.

The enormous bed had an honest-to-Gods canopy, and so many pillows there didn't look like there was room for anything – or anyone – else to lay on it. Even the duvet was the fluffiest thing he'd ever seen, even though it was in a steel grey. Honestly, it should have been white, so it would have looked like clouds or something equally decadent.

He was so going to have to tease Fury about it when things were less dire.

There was talking in the room beyond, and Steve announced their presence to the entire room. Well, there was quite a crowd gathered; even Phil's Steward, Melinda May, looking kickass in black leather, was there.

So was Thor, the Prince of Asgard, which made sense if Loki was involved.

Fury looked like he was about to make some sort of ground-shattering announcement. "This is the first official mission for the Avengers Initiative. Let's go and kick some ass."

Yep, that was pretty ground-shattering, actually.

"Grand Master Stephen," Mistress Maria turned to her Head of Order, "if I give you the coordinates, can you create a portal to get us all there?"

"Absolutely." Grand Master Stephen looked supremely confident, but then he was the one who'd know his portal powers the best. Tony had never seen the man make one, but Pepper had mentioned it.

Beside him, Bruce perked to attention instantly. Of course, his magical theorist heart would be salivating to get a look at one of Strange's portals, since they were so different from any other sort of Teleport spell out there.

Even with his gauntlets covering his hands, Tony, could tell his palms were sweating with nerves. He'd only had one test of the armor and, while it had been pretty successful, there were still bugs that needed to be worked out in the armor. Still, the connections to the stone were sound, and he was fairly certain he wouldn't lose power unless he took an unhealthy amount of damage.

Damn, he should have thought about some sort of shielding. He made a mental note to work on something like that as soon as he could get back to his shop.

Mistress Maria and Grand Master Stephen conferred for a few moments, and then the Wizard's hands were making motions through the air. A circle began to form in front of him; through it, Tony could make out mountains and what looked like some sort of valley.

It was show time.

The Baron tugged his helmet on, the distinct sound of it locking into place loud in his ears. Through the rectangular eye slits he could still see pretty well, but it reminded him why he'd taken the test flight without it, because it seriously hindered his peripheral vision. He made another mental note to work on the problem.

The portal was completely formed. Steve took the first step through, with Clint and his dragon following almost at his heels. Sir James let him do it, but he stalked along behind, a long dagger in his single hand, the and either the lack of weight on his left side or he just always walked that way, but it looked like he was strutting toward committing a murder.

The moment Tony was through the magical portal himself, he took to the air, breathing easily as soon as he knew the actuators were really going to keep him steady while in flight. He rose above the village…witnessing the mayhem that they'd all managed to walk right into.


	61. Chapter 61

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-One

Author: Milady Dragon

Author's note: According to the Marvel Wiki, the Reality Stone has absolute power over reality itself and can be used to warp that reality in whatever manner its wielder chooses. I've taken this a step further, giving the Reality Stone the ability to affect EVERY reality, including all the alternate ones out there. Because I love the idea of alternate realities.

* * *

Well, Loki mused, the Dark One was not at all what he had been expecting.

The man had certainly been changed by the passing years. Just in physical aspect, the beard the Dark Wizard had once wore was gone, revealing a strong jawline. He had lost a little of his hair, the line of it receding a bit, and it gave him an air of distinguished anonymity. He was garbed all in shades of blue…a lighter shirt over dark trousers, with a matching dark waistcoat. His belt was black leather, and on it were the traditional wand and dagger, as well as a couple of other pouches. Other than that, he was unarmed. He did not need to be, to be incredibly dangerous. Anyone with any sort of vision could see that danger, and should have done anything within their power not to awaken it.

The largest alteration, however, came in his physical bearing.

Gone was the sharp rage and sheer arrogance that had graced the Dark One almost as if he had been robed in their terrible majesty. Oh, he was still quite angry, but this was a different sort of emotion, somehow softer and yet stronger for all of that softness. The arrogance had been replaced by confidence, in the way he held himself standing, back straight and shoulders back, as if he knew his worth and had no need to prove it.

Loki would never have known that this had once been a powerful Dark Wizard if he had not been a witness to it himself.

With a single blink, Loki brought his magical senses to bear and, if he had thought that the Dark One's bearing had changed, it was nothing compared to the aura of magic that surrounded him like a princely cloak. It was Void, and ebbed and flowed about the man, and he was comfortable with that deep connection to the primal magic, as if it was more a part of him than his own life.

If anything, this man was even more powerful than the Wizard Loki had faced eleven years ago.

That did not seem possible, and yet it was. Loki's vision was not false.

The girl-child had called him _Void Champion._ Loki had not given that assertion any credence, not until he had his first glance at this new, more powerful, being who calmly faced down Catherine Hale and demanded her surrender herself.

Of course, Hale scoffed at that.

As Loki listened, he grew more and more concerned about this newest version of the Dark One. If what he had claimed was true – that he had opened an actual Void Point and had tossed someone into the Void, and that the Void had been agreeable to that – then perhaps Loki should be removing himself from this situation. However, Loki was also intrigued, he wanted to discover what lengths this Grand Master would go to in order to make good on his threat of justice against both Hales.

He could, in fact, still act without drawing attention to his actions.

"It seems," he commented idly, "that perhaps you and your mother are finally run to ground."

Ruby Hale was pale and quite obviously worried about events transpiring nearby. "He's all talk," she attempted to bluster.

Loki could tell that it was just that…bluster. "It is too bad that you have not the power of the Destroyer of Worlds. You could save yourself and your mother imprisonment or death at this Void Champion's hands."

Truthfully, he did not believe that Ruby would be able to control the stone. Still, if it would cause a distraction for his own escape, that would be the best result.

Jiaying had, somehow, managed to convince this Artifact to let her control it. To extend its magic over the entire valley, keeping it hidden from anyone who might search for it. To Loki's own disappointment, he had been unable to do anything with the magic within the stone, and had to acknowledge that it was most likely because of his own, diminished, magic.

A circumstance he would gladly get his revenge against the Dark One for, if he believed he would be successful in the execution of such revenge. This Wizard was far too powerful. Loki doubted that even his gift of illusion would have worked against the Dark One any longer.

However, Ruby Hale had not been diminished. She was not very powerful, true…yet her own magic was very much intact. She may have a chance, if the Artifact allowed it.

Not that Loki thought that would be the case. However, sowing the seeds of discord was something he did very well indeed.

"He has no right," she hissed, her own anger taking control of her senses. "Hydra is the future. If he'd helped us, we could have created an army of Deathless and reigned over magic forever."

Alright…that was not quite the rhetoric that Loki had been expecting.

He had suspected that Hydra had had delusions of grandeur, but this…this was so far beyond what he had believed that he could not help his jaw dropping slightly in surprise. Did they not understand that it was impossible to recreate the Deathless? Loki had thought it had been so clearly stated by historical fact that it would be an inviolable law of magic. And yet these upstart Wizards had thought to go against the universal order and attempt the very act that had been so impossible that it had only been done the once. Just the conditions of that creation could not be repeated without the deaths of thousands. Or hundreds of thousands.

A part of him found himself impressed by the sheer hubris of even considering such an act.

When Catherine Hale had approached him, claiming that the Dark One had been another form of the Deathless, Loki had been intrigued. He had wished to test that theory, to discover if what Catherine Hale had believed was truth indeed. In his heart, he had thought her mad, as mad as himself, and that what she had seen from the Dark One had been something else entirely.

Looking at the man now – Grand Master Phil Coulson – Loki would see that he was not Deathless.

No, this was such a connection to the Void that it would protect him as if he were a very part of itself.

And then it came to Loki like one of Odin's thrown lightning bolts.

This Wizard was the Void counterpart to Grand Master Ianto Jones.

Of course. That made sense.

How had Hale and her former compatriots not seen this for themselves? It smacked of the ultimate in arrogance, knowing they were correct even though they were wrong. The evidence was _there_, for anyone with the vision to _see_. They had been so blinded by their own plots and schemes that no one had cared to accept the truth of things.

Admittedly, Loki would still have enjoyed testing the limits of that oh-so strong bond between Wizard and Void; however, there were more pressing concerns that needed to be addressed.

Such as, the Dark One proceeding to pull the Void out of Catherine Hale as punishment for her transgressions, while the Void surrounded him in the finest armor, made of itself. Hale writhed under the onslaught.

It…looked to be quite painful. Loki could not help but cringe.

"Mom!" Ruby gasped in horror.

"She is suffering the punishment of the Void," Loki commented, quite fascinated by the process.

It should not have been possible, and yet it was occurring. The Grand Master – he was no longer the Dark One, not in this guise – was calling to the Void within Catherine Hale, and it was answering that call. This was, indeed, someone who could have opened a Void Point and banished someone to the Void. The Void was part of its Wizards, the lifeblood…or the deathblood, as the case may be…of those blessed with its power. It should have been impossible to do this; there were ways of cutting a person's magic off from them, but to remove it totally…

Loki was in awe. He disliked the feeling intensely.

If he had not been watching the tableau before him, he would have noticed the moment that Ruby Hale fell victim to his attempted manipulation.

There was a sudden pulse of energy, and the Dark One was down, the child he had brought back with him – inadvertently, Loki was certain – screaming and falling to his side.

In a single blink, the Dark One, the girl, and their dragons were gone.

That…

There was a gasp beside him, and he turned to see Ruby Hale, her hand on the stone. Red mist was rising from it, encircling her body and, as Loki watched, it subsumed into her, her eyes flashing red as it vanished.

He raised an eyebrow. _This_ was unexpected. Truly, he'd believed that her touching the stone would do nothing; it had meant to be a tease, to convince her that this was the destiny she would go on so about, and then when she would discover it was not the truth…Loki would enjoy her despair like the finest wine. He had not honestly thought the stone would react so to her.

The universe played its sport with him once again.

"Ruby," Catherine gasped. She'd fallen to her knees under the Dark One's onslaught, her magic very much weakened by the Void being mostly taken away. It had been a close thing, as Loki could see by her aura, as any longer and she would have died.

There was a blast of Cardinal magic, slamming Ruby Hale to the ground and knocking the wind from her lungs. Daisy Coulson had struck; she stood, her hands outstretched, the metallic gauntlets she wore to obviously control the strength of her magic glinting in the sunlight, her dragon hissing from its place on her shoulder. Her face was furious, her body trembling, and Loki stepped out of the way of her rage with alacrity. He certainly did not wish to be in the line of fire of the young Wizard's need to strike down the person responsible for banishing two members of her family.

Because, that was what she had done.

The stone affected reality. Of that, Loki was positive. It would mean that it _could_ also affect alternate realities; the Asgardians had long known that there were many such realities within the multiverse. This odd stone had melded itself to Ruby Hale, and either she had used it to send the pair to another reality…or the stone had used _her_.

It was, as they say, a toss-up as to what had actually happened.

"What did you _do_?" the Dark One's daughter shouted, striding forward and casting another burst of magic at the prone Ruby Hale. It slammed into the possessed girl's chest, and Ruby spit blood onto the dirt surrounding the now-broken stone. _"Bring them back!"_

Mistress Jiaying was calling for the incensed young woman, but she was ignored. Daisy Coulson had every bit of attention on Ruby Hale, who was staring up at the powerful Cardinal with glowing red eyes, her glare strong enough to melt steel. It did nothing to Novice Daisy; but then, Loki seriously doubted much would have been able to get in her way in that moment.

"He was hurting my mother," Ruby Hale spat. Curls of red smoke trailed from her eyes.

_"__Your mother killed my Dad!"_ Daisy screamed. She had her arms up and ready for yet another blast of magic – it wasn't any particular spell that Loki could see; only strong blasts of pure Deep Ways that would have set Ruby Hale's skin to crawling at its very touch…if she was lucky. There was no telling what sort of injury she may have been dealt and was hidden under the clothing.

In that instant, Loki saw that Ruby Hale would not stand a chance against a furious Daisy Coulson. That young Novice was strong, too strong for the weaker Void Novice to be able to take in any sort of combat. It would not matter that Novice Daisy wasn't using any sort of actual spell to take her opponent down. Simply the sheer amount of Deep Ways she was flinging around would have been enough to overpower anyone not on the same power level as she was.

She was going to be magnificent someday, if she could take her emotions in hand and gain more control over her magic.

Jiaying was calling to her again, and again Novice Daisy ignored her. Loki wanted to laugh; Jiaying had been so certain that her daughter would drop her current life and come running back to her, and that had not been the case at all. Loki had known this would be the outcome, and that foreknowledge did nothing to diminish the humor he found in the situation. Seeing her rage against Ruby Hale in the name of her family should have been enough proof to Jiaying that she'd been completely in the wrong.

It gave Loki a pang, for he had not had that sort of family bond in his own life. Certainly, if he had not discovered the truth of his place in the Royal Family of Asgard, things might have been different. Odin had cared in his own way; Frigga had been his first teacher, and had encouraged him to learn as much about his magic as possible; and Thor, who might have acted much like a friendly puppy much of the time, and yet had seemed to love Loki despite his own tricks that he had played on his idiot older brother. Perhaps, if he had not stumbled across the truth of his parentage, things may truly have been so much more different than how they had turned out.

No, Loki did not want to think in 'what have been's. He was better to dwell in the now, and now was Ruby Hale getting her arse kicked by Daisy Coulson.

Just when Loki thought that Daisy Coulson was prevail, Ruby Hale's eyes flashed bright red fire, and a pressure wave was lifting Novice Daisy from her feet and flinging her away to land near one of the ramshackle homes that the children lived in. She was not unconscious, yet she was not moving very quickly, groaning in pain as she attempted to rise to her feet. Her dragon had been ripped from her shoulders, and was laying not that great a distance away, and appeared to be in better shape than its companion.

However, Novice Daisy was not the only one affected by Ruby Hale's possession of the Artifact and of using it against the Dark One and his other daughter.

Medusa, one of Jiaying's children and the one that Catherine Hale had sent into the Wizard School, was stomping forward, her own dragon hissing. Medusa had her fists clenched at her side, and her hair was whipping about her head as if a wind was kicking itself up around her alone. "I want my sister back!" she was screaming. "I just found her again, and you took her away!"

Loki had heard that particular bit of news, and had been startled by it. Of course he knew the general histories of the children that Mistress Jiaying had taken him, and yet in all of his snooping he had not discovered that little Medusa had had a baby sister. And how coincidental…that sister had been adopted by Loki's enemy. The universe was, indeed, a monumental trickster.

The mist rising from Ruby Hale's eyes intensified and, even with his truncated magic, Loki could realize that something was about to occur. He did not need the sudden red glow about the possessed Wizard's body to know this was not going to be a good thing.

Novice Daisy noticed at the exact same time.

Even as Loki himself was dodging out of the way, the Novice was back on her feet, running with a limping gait toward Medusa. She grabbed up the little girl and managed to spin her, so that Daisy Coulson's back was toward the also rising Ruby Hale, the magical flare of a shield appearing around both of them and their dragons. Novice Daisy was shouting for everyone to get down, and Loki was already taking that advice to heart, raising his own magical shields and hoping they would be enough to protect him from whatever was happening with Ruby Hale.

He could hear Catherine Hale screaming, and the shouts of fear from the children surrounding them. Jiaying was chanting; Loki could not make out the spell she was attempting to bring into being, and a sense of _wrongness_ shot through him, making his shield waver a little. It was the same wrongness that he could see about her connection to the Deep Ways, the taint that he could not interpret properly. He thought she must be trying to get the now-absorbed stone back under her control.

Loki was fairly certain she would not succeed.

Ruby Hale was on her feet…no, her feet were floating above the ground, her arms thrown out to the sides, glowing as a red-tinted star in the night sky. Her mouth was open, and yet no sound was coming from her lips. She looked to be in agony.

This was _fascinating_.

Loki was suddenly quite glad that the stone had not reacted to his touch.

Suddenly, _things_ began shimmering into existence all around them all.

_Well, _Loki considered, _this was not good at all…_


	62. Chapter 62

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy clutched Medusa to her, keeping the girl under her hastily erected Shield, staring as at least two dozen heat shimmers formed in midair, tinged red as blood.

In what hell was this?

When Ruby had somehow made Dad and Crystal disappear, Daisy had been incensed and had wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of her, to _force_ her to bring them back. She'd only peripherally noticed that Hale had been touching that stone, the one she really hadn't paid any attention to when she's arrived. Still, it must have been magical or something, because it seemed like it was overloading Ruby just from coming into contact with it.

It had to have been the power of that damned stone that had sent her family away.

Daisy really wished Dad had waited around for Clint. But then, if he had, all three of them might have been vanished to wherever Ruby had sent Dad and Crystal.

She didn't want to think they'd been disintegrated or something else equally permanent. At this point, all she knew was that a red mist surrounded them and Lola and Lockjaw, and then they were gone.

Yeah, she really wanted to kick that bitch's ass some more.

As she was lying there, Medusa held tightly against her and with Skye and Addie both chattering in fear, Daisy noticed that the weird magical aura about the valley was gone.

So, it had been caused by that stone, as well, and not by her would-be mother.

She really didn't want to think about that. Not at the moment, when she could be dead or worse in the next few heartbeats.

That aura seemed to be radiating off Ruby Hale now, in pulses of red energy as the shimmering in the air solidified into beings, creatures that Daisy had only seen in books…and some she had no idea what they were. Each looked like they could destroy anything they came into contact with, and her heart was hammering so hard she could barely breathe. Medusa was whimpering in terror as an enormous beast, its movements almost serpentine in nature, began stalking toward where they were cowering.

Daisy wasn't about to let that _thing_ get either of them.

Sitting up and ignoring the pain in her leg and back from when Ruby had thrown her, Daisy ripped the gauntlet from her right hand, feeling the need to be at full power, and pointed toward the creature, calling her magic in all its might to her and letting loose a Brainfire spell she wasn't supposed to know, but had found in one of her Dad's _gramariya_ after the last time Hydra had tried to kidnap her.

The beast howled in agony, its skull exploding into a million bits of brain and bone.

Fucking hells.

She had had no idea that would be the effect. It was a bit overkill…no pun intended. And really gross.

Skye was bugling in exaltation, nearly deafening Daisy, but she wasn't about to get on her dragon for it since it was pretty much how she was feeling as well. Sure, she was horrified, but she'd just saved both Medusa and Daisy herself, and their dragons.

The problem was, her display of power had drawn attention to her and, by extension, Medusa and the two dragons.

Gods, this was not good.

Daisy took a step back, favoring her leg and hoping she hadn't done any sort of major damage to anything in her tumble. Well, at least these beasts weren't targeting the kids if they were coming after her, so she supposed that was a good thing?

It didn't feel like it was something Daisy should be glad for, but the last thing she wanted was for any of the children to get hurt.

That included Medusa, who was cowering behind her.

It didn't matter that the little girl had basically led her into a trap for Daisy's Dad. She probably didn't have any idea just what she'd done, anyway. Daisy was willing to forgive her that, because she still wasn't sure just what Jiaying had been telling them. Daisy was pretty convinced that her birth mother was running some sort of cult, out of a sense of…loss, maybe? It seemed pretty obvious that she'd been saving them, but the motivation…Gods only knew at this point, and Daisy just didn't want to deal with it right now.

As well as the fact that Medusa had claimed to be Crystal's older sister.

She had enough in her lap at the moment.

Like, lots of creatures coming at her.

Suddenly, Jiaying was by her side, the woman's own magic coming to bear. That magic was weird, and it made Daisy's skin crawl. There was no way she was her Mom, not what that magic. Magic ran in families; Daisy would assume that if Jiaying had given birth to her, then her magic would at least share some of that magical signature.

The kids had all scattered, thank goodness. It meant that Daisy didn't have to watch out for them more than she already was. Catherine Hale was still on the ground; Dad sucking the Void out of her must have really destroyed her strength. Good. Because it was her daughter who'd been messing stuff up, and Daisy was sick and tired of Hydra dragging her into their fights like this.

Daisy wasn't any sort of damsel in distress, thanks muchly. And it was high time Hydra quit putting her into that position.

"Stay behind me," she ordered Medusa. The last thing she needed was for the kid to get in the way of her crazy magic.

Quickly stripping off her second gauntlet and tossing it to the ground, Daisy set her stance and raised her hands. Her mind ran through every offensive spell she knew, which, to be fair, wasn't all that much. Dad hadn't thought she was ready, and Pepper wasn't the offensive magic sort of person, being more into defense. Still, she'd gone spelunking through Dad's study – despite his attempts to keep her out of his _gramariya_, he really should have known better – and she'd gotten a couple of really good spells but, really, they'd all been a bit too advanced for her.

Still, the Brainfire had worked. It had taken a lot of power, but judging from the steaming remains of the serpent thingy it had actually worked.

Daisy aimed a Stun spell at the next monster, trying hard not to put the full strength of her magic behind it. She managed to miss, and the spell zapped by the creature, which was some sort of spider demon with crazy-looking multiple spots for eyes.

That had always been her problem: too powerful, and not a lot of finesse. Not like her Dad, whose spells were elegant and only held as much power as he wanted them to. Daisy knew she was young, and didn't have the experience with spellcasting that he did. That it would take years for her to gain that sort of control. She'd meant to talk to Pepper about it, before their lesson had got interrupted by Baron Tony and his awesome armor. Jemma and Leo had been the one to point out to her that she was simply overpowering her spells…Gods, had that only been a couple of days ago? It seemed like forever.

Daisy tried another Stun, but missed again. She growled, pissed off at herself. She was better than this!

"Control your emotions," Jiaying ordered, as she was casting her own magic. "You're just going to keep missing if you don't."

It was sound advice, even if Daisy didn't want to follow it. This had always been her problem: control, and being so freakishly overpowered that it meant everything she did would most of the time come out wrong. Hells, she'd managed to take down part of a mountain when she was younger, and she'd heard the same thing happen here, in this valley, even if she couldn't make out exactly where the damage was.

But knowing the issue, and actually doing something about it…

Her emotions were just so tangled up. Dad was gone, and Crystal, and Lola and Lockjaw, and Daisy didn't have a clue as to what happened…although she could guess, since Ruby was now able to summon all sorts of demons and creatures to this place. Chances were, she'd sent them somewhere else, and Daisy needed to survive so she could find them.

And Clint wasn't there, but that wasn't his fault. She _really_ wanted her newer, other Dad there, because he was the one of the few people she could trust…there certainly wasn't anyone around her now that could claim that.

Beyond the monsters, the young Wizard could see Ruby, hovering over the ground, glowing so brightly it was almost painful to look at her. More and more creatures were coming, and…was that a _Chitauri_?

_She crouched in the alley, watching as the creatures stalked the streets. She'd taken refuge in the nearest, defensible, place, but it really didn't feel all that safe. There were too many of them, and she was just a kid, and no one knew where she was. Chances were, they didn't even know she'd run away yet…_

_They were speaking in a guttural language that she couldn't understand. She hunched down behind the bins that the business had set back there, and the scent of rancid garbage wanted to make her gag, but she didn't dare. She couldn't draw attention to herself, because she could see the things killing anyone they came across. And she wasn't ready to die yet, she'd just gotten her dragon…_

_Skye was huddled against her chest, trapped there by her knees and arms, but she wasn't complaining. She didn't make a sound, but the dragon's terror added to her own was enough to nearly overpower her._

Daisy shook off the flashback. She wasn't that little kid anymore. And she couldn't afford to become distracted by her past.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she took aim once more, this spell Fire magic, and this time she hit what she'd meant to…the Chitauri, because she still had nightmares about those damned things and the chance to take just a bit of revenge felt sweet. The flames hit it right in its ugly face, and the noise it made was extremely satisfying.

However, there were too many of them.

Daisy could see that Catherine Hale was still down, and completely out of the fight. There was no sign of Loki; she'd seen him take cover under a rickety-looking Shield spell, but after that…nothing. Well, she figured she could at least wish him a slow, horrific, death. Anything to pay back for what he did to her Dad.

Jiaying kept casting spells; they were pretty destructive, the Deep Ways odd and sick in Daisy's magical senses. There was something seriously wrong with Jiaying, and a small voice was wondering if that wrongness was why her birth father had taken Daisy away…he'd seen it, and had wanted to protect that innocent baby from something, from the mother who'd given birth to her.

Gods, why was this all coming to her in the middle of a fight? A fight they couldn't possibly win without back-up?

"We need to stop Ruby," she said as she cast another spell, this one a general Sleep spell, hoping that its widespread effects wouldn't need specific direction to work. It took down two of the creatures, but a third shook it off and kept on coming.

Medusa whimpered at the sound of an enormous fist slamming into the Shield, making the magic ring like a discordant bell.

If one more of these things slammed into her Shield, Daisy might very well be getting into trouble. She was powerful, yes, but that didn't mean her Shield could hold up to too much abuse.

And the monsters kept on coming.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Jiaying asked sarcastically. "It might have escaped your notice, but we're fighting for our lives here."

Daisy resisted rolling her eyes, because she needed to pay attention to what was going on around them. She decided to go with another Brainfire, since it worked so well the first time, only she at least tried to throttle back the sheer amount of the Deep Ways that came to her call.

Maybe she should have left the gauntlets on.

Her control had always been for shit. She'd thought she'd need the power, but without the control…she was pretty much next to useless, and was going to cause more harm than good if she wasn't careful. All she could do was keep on whaling on her opponents, and hope the hits were more effective than all over the place.

"I always knew you'd be powerful," Jiaying sighed, so low that Daisy almost didn't hear her over the roaring of the creatures. "But I had no idea…"

"Is this really the time?" Daisy snarked back, irritated by the woman's comments. Being powerful wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and there were so many times that she absolutely hated it.

Gods, she really hoped the kids had all gotten to safety. Daisy didn't want any of them to get hurt, and with the sheer number of these things showing up…

Out of the corner of her eye, Daisy saw a glint of golden light. Please, let it not be something else coming to attack them…

A flash of red, white, and blue zoomed across her vision, striking one of the creatures and knocking it away from the group that was hells' bent on getting through the Shield.

Daisy knew that flash.

Oh, Gods…help had come…


	63. Chapter 63

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack stepped into the middle of a nightmare.

Some of the creatures he recognized from his travels over the centuries; others were strange to him. There were dozens, all rampaging through the village they'd portaled into; there were Chitauri, and Weevils, and even one of the Nameless Demons that still haunted his dreams from his very first death. They were all simply appearing from within what looked like red-tinged heat hazes in the air, scattered about in random patterns throughout the area, but it was pretty obvious who was bringing them into existence.

It was Ruby Hale. And she was being suspended in midair by a red smoke that was decidedly unnatural.

By his side, Ianto began cursing. His husband strode out of the portal with the wrath of the Gods in his movements, his hands outstretched and flinging spells as he stalked forward. Myfanwy, with a loud cry, was in the air and changing into her firedrake aspect, flames bursting into life along her wings and body as she breathed her magical fire down upon the creatures, setting some alight and pissing others off.

Jack followed his husband, his sword out and flashing in bright arcs through limbs and torsos as he fought his way into the valley itself, his body falling into over a millennia's worth of skill with his blade. It had been a very long time since he'd been in a battle at this scale, and his muscles still held the memory of the hack and slash of close combat.

An arrow flew past his head, striking a spider-like creature in one of its myriad eyes with an accuracy that could have only meant Clint Barton had also joined the fray. He was turning to face off against another foe when a second arrow hit it in the shoulder, disabling it. That arrow wasn't as accurate, and Jack guessed that it had come from Barney Barton, who'd most likely never been in a melee like this and would have to have been freaking out about it.

He couldn't waste the time it would take to reassure him, however, especially since it had been the older Barton's decision to come along with them in the first place.

Steve came up beside him, and together they fought back to back, covering each other's asses, and their movements flowed together as if they'd been training together for years. Out of the corner of his eye Jack could make out James, a long dagger in his only hand, his strength and dexterity keeping the monsters at bay. This was the Winter Knight coming to the fore, but there was something slightly off about his movements, Jack guessing it was because he was missing the weight of that magical arm that had been at home on his left shoulder for so long. Still, he was doing an admirable job at compensating for the lack, his blade unerringly finding its mark.

And then, Natasha appeared, to cover James' vulnerable left, her own daggers out and slashing in pinpoint accuracy; Melinda was beside her, her hands and feet striking out with deadly intent. He would leave them to it, trust in their fighting skills, and get back to his own battle.

One of the many tales told of the Deathless over the centuries had named him the Paladin of the East. Jack disagreed with that title vociferously; he wasn't any sort of Paladin, and he'd met Paladins so he could compare himself to them; each of them had been all about duty and honor and a lot of other bullshit that wasn't Jack one single bit. He'd been able to just look at Sir Steve, and see a true Paladin in action, but Jack hadn't been in any way virtuous or righteous or whatever it was called. He knew he'd never be able to live up to the lofty Paladin title, there was just too much blood and death and bad behavior in his past for that.

However, in that moment, he was actually fighting alongside a true Paladin, and had been accepted by him as a friend. Sir Steve was a completely different beast from Steve Rogers, and Jack had to wonder if a lot of what he'd heard about the reputation that Paladins were supposed to have was all built up in the need for a symbol for people to follow. Sure, he'd served with Sir Steve back in the Century War, but he hadn't been a confidante, a member of the Howling Commandos, so he really hadn't known the real man behind the title, had only seen the exterior persona of the Paladin of the Western Lands. Over the last weeks, however, he'd come to realize that they were two completely different people, that Sir Steve was the symbol and Steve Rogers was the person, and he quite liked the person he'd become familiar with…and that person didn't quite fit the notion of a Paladin, either.

Maybe the only qualification for being a Paladin was the need to do the right thing, he'd come to realize.

In that case, the bards and troubadours had had it right, and Jack might have actually been a Paladin all along. After all, doing the right thing had led him to becoming the Deathless, fighting a hopeless battle against odds that would have sent most people running in terror.

There was a strange whooshing sound, and he risked looking up. The bright gold and red armor that Baron Tony had built flew overhead, blue points of light gleaming at the chest, the heels of the boots, and the palms of the gauntlets. As Jack watched, the Baron aimed one of those gauntlets at one of the creatures Jack wasn't familiar with, and a bolt of lightning-like power shot from that blue point, knocking the beast backward with a smoking hole in its torso.

Now, that was pretty damned impressive.

A hammer smashed its way through a group of monsters, heralding Prince Thor's joining the battle, along with a loud roar that Jack couldn't identify; spinning, he watched as an enormous green creature began tossing beasts right and left; since it seemed to be on their side, Jack let it be. It hit him that this must have been Dr. Banner, bringing his own, personal curses out to play. He had to wonder just how that worked; he'd have to ask Ianto about it, later.

Baron Nick and Mistress Maria Hill also fought back to back, magic and swordplay taking down monster after monster. Stephen was hovering over the battle itself, Agamotto on his shoulder, his Cloak keeping him aloft; he must have felt Jack's attention on him, because he stopped throwing spells and pointed toward Ruby Hale with intention.

Jack got it.

They needed to take her out, in order to stop the tide of beasts coming into the valley.

Jack nodded in agreement. Stephen straightened his body and flew toward the young woman, tossing a spell at her that simply broke apart before it got to its target. Whatever she was doing, it was foiling a Grand Master's magic, which couldn't be good at all.

Suddenly, Steve was turning and throwing his shield, forcing Jack to pull back in order to keep from being hit. He wanted to demand what was going on, but he saw before he could speak; it was Daisy, a kid, and a stranger, all standing within a Shield that was flashing and strobing as the young Wizard did her best to keep it raised under the onslaught of four monsters. The immortal knew she was powerful, but it was obvious her strength was failing, just from the way the Shield spell was reacting to the assault.

It made him very concerned that Phil wasn't with her. There was no way he'd have left Daisy alone to face this mess.

Steve's shield took out two of the demons; one in the head, then the second when the shield ricocheted off it in an almost impossible angle, managing to come back to Steve's waiting hand when it was done. Jack was hideously impressed and decided to ask Ianto if there wasn't some sort of magic involved. Although that should have been impossible, since that shield had been forged back when there wasn't that sort of magic around.

By unspoken agreement, both men fought their way toward Daisy, trusting the Wizards to go after the one causing all the chaos. Over the sounds of battle, Jack would make out Prince Thor's war cries, the growls from Dr. Banner's cursed form, and the odd zinging sounds of Baron Tony's…he didn't know what to call the energy blasts that were coming out of the man's gauntlets. He was certain the Baron had some sort of fancy name for it that he would be more than willing to share.

Clint beat them to Daisy. Jack wasn't sure how he'd done it, although being a parent himself he could certainly understand that sort of impossible haste.

Arrows flying, the Elf cleaned out the space around his eldest daughter, killing the monsters with a singlemindedness that Jack had to admire. He and Steve helped out, until Daisy could risk letting down her wavering Shield spell so she could fling herself into Clint's arms, her breath so sharp it was almost like dry sobbing. "Dad!" she choked out.

Jack couldn't help the grin; he suspected this was the first time Daisy had called Clint that, judging from the awestruck expression on the Elf's face.

Steve and Jack kept surveillance over the reunion. He glanced over at his fighting companion; he couldn't make out anything past the lowered visor of the helmet he was wearing, except for his eyes… which were worried darting back to Daisy as Clint comforted her. Jack nodded slightly, acknowledging that worry, because he knew it had to do with the missing Phil Coulson, and Crystal.

"What happened?" he heard Clint ask.

"I don't know," Daisy admitted. "I saw it, and I just don't know…"

Jack listened as she explained about coming to the valley – apparently, the red-headed little girl with the young Wizard was Medusa, and the reason she was actually there – and about Loki and Catherine Hale, and her daughter, Ruby, touching something she shouldn't have. Parts of the story he missed; they made a good target, just standing there, and he and Steve had to keep busy with hacking up anything that thought they were easy to take down.

However, he got the gist, especially when Daisy recounted her father and sister vanishing in front of her. It jibed with what they were seeing; somehow, Ruby had gotten a boost of power and was summoning these creatures from somewhere. It had to have come from the stone she'd touched, and it had Jack wondering if it was one of the stones that Ashildr had prophesied…oh, shit, it most likely was, and it made sense.

That would make four. Jack understood that the UnEarthly Child's prophecies always came true, but he'd been hoping…

"We'll find them," Clint vowed. "We'll find Crystal and your Dad."

"He is not your father," the woman who'd been with Daisy snapped.

Just on first appearances, Jack just knew she couldn't be trusted. It wasn't because she was horribly scarred, because the immortal didn't judge people on how they looked. No, this was something his instincts had picked up on, and he always trusted his instincts.

"You can just fuck right off," Daisy snarled. "You're Hydra, and your magic is sick, and I don't want to have a thing to do with you."

"And who is this?" Clint's voice dripped with suspicion.

"She _claims_ she's my birth mother," Daisy answered, her own disdain at the idea plain. "And she teamed up with Hydra and Loki."

Alright, she had a good reason to be disdainful…


	64. Chapter 64

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto didn't like how this place felt.

It was _wrong_.

Snarling out several curses, the Wizard waded into the fray, using his own magic to beat back the ever increasing numbers of creatures that thought he would be an easy target and attempted to kill him. Ianto Jones wasn't so easy to kill, and he proved it as he strode toward what he sensed was the origin of whatever it was in this valley that was making his skin crawl just a little.

It appeared to be a familiar figure, hovering off the ground, looking as if she had very little control over her actions.

Ruby Hale's aura was blotchy, a twisted combination of red and black, the Void in it being smothered by whatever it was controlling her. Oh, it wasn't _exactly_ control; the red magic was instinctual, and he _thought_ it was being driven by Ruby's own mind, but it was imperfect, and she certainly wasn't the one in charge of what creatures she was bringing in, in order to fight them all. Ianto had the impression that the power was burning her out, using her only as an outlet through a connection that had somehow been forged between the two, but that it hadn't actually been the magic's choice.

It must have been an Artifact, and it had a familiar tang to it.

It had been created by the same Wizard who was responsible for the Mind, Space, and Soul Stones.

That realization had him cursing even more, and the Disintegration spell – his own creation, based on the one he'd once unpicked, only without the Void attached to it – was powered by that frustration, taking out what he thought might have been some sort of ogre and the ground that it had been charging across in order to get to him, leaving a crater in the earth.

This one obviously controlled reality. If Ianto had to guess, these various sorts of beasts were being brought here from other realities, which was terrifying. That sort of power couldn't be controlled, especially by someone like Ruby Hale, who had been an underwhelming student at best according to the information Phil had managed to dig up from her school records. No, the Artifact was using her, using her imagination and body and having a difficult time of it, if he was any judge.

He needed to break that connection, if they wanted to stop the monsters from coming.

Unless Ruby burnt out before that occurred, which was a distinct possibility.

He could feel Stephen nearby, and he glanced upward, knowing that his friend would be flying above the chaos with the help of his Cloak. Ah, there he was…his magic was truly extraordinary, and he did wonder if Stephen's insistence that he wasn't Great Champion was either humility or if he truly believed it wasn't him. Stephen Strange was the strongest of the Greats, his subtlety and gracefulness with his spell work was truly something to witness. From the stories, Stephen had been an arrogant arse in his previous career as a healer, and had come to the Guild late, after the accident that had taken his hands. Before that, he'd had magic, yet he'd felt he hadn't needed to officially join the Guild, that he hadn't needed to play by the rules, thinking he was always right when it came to medicine.

After his career-ending injury, Stephen had branched out into other forms of magic, becoming a student late in life, studying under the former Grand Master of Greats and alongside the then-Novice Mordo, and exceeding them both.

Ianto had often wondered if Mordo's extremism had come, in part, from jealousy over Stephen's meteoric rise within the Guild, as well as from his championing goodwill between all three Orders. Stephen understood the Balance, knew what it meant if the Voids and Cardinals were ostracized, and all of that must have built up into an enmity that had led them to this: Stephen as Grand Master, and Mordo in a cell below the Guild Hall. Mordo would never admit it, of that Ianto was certain. But it made sense.

Now was not the time to dwell on it, however. There would be time after they managed to clean up this mess.

It hadn't escaped Ianto's notice that Phil was nowhere to be seen. Not far away he could sense Daisy; her magic was very nearly out of control, and was almost overpowering much of the other magical signatures in the valley…all save Ruby's twisted one, and another, a Cardinal, and yet the sense he was getting of this presence was one of sickness, of a darkness that was mixing within the Deep Ways and changing it slightly, and the Wizard had to wonder if this was what Phil had felt when he'd touched the tainted Void Point back at Hydra's first base. His magical senses shied away from it, not wanting to get close, and Ianto let it since there wasn't time to address it as yet. He had to get through the gauntlet of these creatures and make it to Ruby Hale, to at least attempt to save her from whatever she'd done that had caused this merger between herself and the Reality Stone.

Then, afterward, he could look into this bastardization of the Deep Ways and determine if some sort of punishment was required.

He motioned Stephen down, and his fellow Grand Master – after blasting yet another creature backward onto its arse – landed lightly beside him. They stood, back to back, their magic working in concert, and Ianto said over his shoulder, "We need to stop her."

"We do," Stephen agreed. "Did you sense it?"

Ianto didn't need to ask what _it_ was. "Yes. And I haven't seen or sensed Phil anywhere in the area."

"If that child is summoning these nightmares, then chances are she could have sent Phil to another reality, to keep him from taking her mother into custody."

Ianto had to agree with that sentiment; Phil most certainly would have demanded that Catherine Hale surrender to Wizard justice. "If we can get Ruby out from under the Reality Stone's influence, I can scan it and see if I can locate Phil." He didn't know if it was possible, yet he knew he needed to try. There was no telling where their friend was. He could have been in even greater danger than they themselves were in this moment.

"The stone is shielding her," Stephen reported. His magic was humming through their shoulders were they were touching. "I attempted to take her down already, but my magic was dispelled."

"We need to get closer. Perhaps together we can make a dent."

Ianto didn't say, that he'd touched the other stones, and had felt just how powerful they were. If there was some sort of Shield spell in action, and it was being powered by what he knew to be the Reality Stone, then it might be impossible to get through it.

Hells, for all they knew, the stone could have sent Stephen's spells into another reality, where they were doing damage to innocents.

Still, they needed to put a stop to this. Ianto hated the idea of collateral damage, but there really wasn't anything they could do to stop it, outside of sitting back and letting Ruby Hale and the Reality Stone do whatever they wanted until Ruby burnt out under all that power.

Which was something they simply could not allow.

"I'll go high and watch your back," Stephen offered. With that, he was in the air once more, hovering over Ianto as the Cardinal Wizard began to move toward Ruby, forgoing finesse in his spells for sheer power.

With a cry, Myfanwy slammed into yet another creature, her firedrake form setting the thing alight. It made a horrific keening sound as it died, and the dragon called out in victory as she launched herself upward again, her fierceness thrumming through Ianto's mind and lending him her strength as he fought his way forward.

When a spell actually failed against a monster with an enormous rack of antlers and hide so tough it just shrugged off his Disintegration magic – something Ianto would have thought impossible – he pulled the bow from his back and set an arrow to the string, aiming for one of its six eyes. Praying that the Accuracy spell on the weapon would work, he let the arrow loose, and managed to put the magicked arrowhead right where he'd intended, glad that he'd done the enchanting on the arrows. He was a decent shot, but he wasn't afraid to admit that he needed the help to hit his targets. He would never be another Clint Barton, or even Toshiko Sato…but then, he didn't have to be.

Something slammed into his back, sending him to the ground and making him drop the bow. He rolled as quick as he could, in order to face this newest threat, but Stephen's magic took care of it before he could get a spell off.

Ianto waved, to let his friend know that he was alright, and clambered to his feet, ignoring the flare of pain across his shoulders. He wanted to retrieve his bow, but it had been trampled by something huge where it had been flung from his hand.

He would have to apologize to Toshiko for breaking it; that bow had been a gift, and had been crafted by an Elf of her acquaintance. She would most likely understand, but it was still painful to see the carved wood snapped in half.

There were too many of these monsters now. Ruby just kept summoning more and more, and she needed to be stopped now before they broke out of the valley and rampaged somewhere more populated than this place. Already, houses were being destroyed; Ianto could tell this place would be uninhabitable even if they did manage to put an end to what was happening quickly. There was no telling how many of the residents had already been injured or killed, and Ianto wanted to keep anyone else from that fate.

He found himself wishing that he was fighting alongside his husband, but Jack had gone with Steve, and Ianto couldn't take the time to look for him now. He had to keep his mind in the fight, to figure out how to stop Ruby from flooding the valley with creatures, more than she already had.

Somehow, he'd managed to get close. He had to glance up to see her; her feet were dangling over his head, and the sickly red mist that surrounded her was almost blinding. She was too high for him to grab; so, instead, he reached up with his magic, hoping to grasp her body and pull her down. If he could get his physical hands on her, he could attempt to cut the control the Reality Stone had on the girl; he was hoping to be able to save her life. She might have been Hydra, but this wasn't something she would have done on her own, without the stone giving her the power to do so.

She was as much a victim as everyone else on this battlefield was.

Ianto went with a simple Banding spell, hoping that something that basic wouldn't draw attention to himself; the last thing he wanted was for Ruby to notice and to send him away, like it seemed she must have done to Phil. Probably in retaliation of him going after her mother, as she would have wanted to protect Catherine Hale from any sort of justice that the Head of her Order might deign to mete out. Not that that excused her from touching an unknown Artifact, because that was one of the many lessons that teaching Masters were supposed to impart upon their Novices, which meant that the elder Hale had obviously fallen down on her job of teaching her daughter what she would need to know in order to navigate the world of magic.

That failure would most likely cost Catherine Hale her daughter, either by her death or by any injury she would have from being influenced by such a dangerous Artifact.

The moment Ianto's magic came into contact with the red mist, a shock slammed into him, tossing him backward and knocking the air from his lungs.

_Shit_, was the only thought that came to his stunned brain.

Ruby Hale was staring down at him. Her face was screwed up into a mask of fury, but her eyes told a completely different story. In their red depths, Ianto could see her terror, and he could read the pleading for help in them as if she was screaming it at him. Gods, he wanted to help her, more than anything, but if just that single tiny touch had been enough to set off the Reality Stone…Ianto was just damned lucky he hadn't been exiled to another place and time.

The girl's hand raised…

And Stephen's magic struck the Shield around her, distracting both Ruby and the magic away from the prone Wizard.

She spun in midair, with a gracelessness that had her listing to one side as she moved. Ruby didn't say a thing, but Ianto didn't think she could, not with a headful of magic that looked as if was smothering her own reactions. However, her mind was still there, looking out of eyes that she couldn't control, and Ianto's heart went out to her even as he struggled to rise.

An arrow slammed into her shoulder, forcing a scream from her.

Ianto turned his head, thinking he would see Clint standing there.

Instead, it was Barney Barton, his bow raised, another arrow on the string. As Ianto watched, he aimed once more…


	65. Chapter 65

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint's heart swelled when Daisy called him 'Dad' for the very first time as he hugged her, Skye jumping from her shoulder down to Lucky, who wasn't afraid to show how much he'd missed the littler dragon and how worried he'd been.

He just wished that first time hadn't been for the reason it was.

He understood that she was scared, that she was in the middle of a battle that must have been giving her all sorts of flashbacks to the time Phil had found her, so she wasn't quite herself. She'd called him 'Dad' because she needed the support, the comfort, of that familiar title, and to Clint's increasingly scaredness neither Phil nor Crystal were nowhere to be found.

He focused all of his attention on Daisy, confident that Jack and Steve could keep the weirdness away. Daisy wasn't alone; there was a kid with her, with really wild red hair and a silvery dragon; as well as an older woman who looked like she'd been through her own war and hadn't gotten to a healer in time and had gained a hells of a lot of scarring because of it. He didn't want to waste his time on them, though. Daisy was far more important. So were Phil and Crystal.

"What happened?" He had to ask, to find out where his fiancé and his other daughter were, before the fear turned into sheer terror and threatened to overwhelm him.

"I don't know." She looked like she was about to start crying. "I saw it, and I just don't know…"

The story she told had Clint grinding his teeth in order to keep the cursing from breaking loose. Hydra and Loki had been there, and Daisy had been led into a trap by the kid who was now cowering behind Daisy, her dragon in turn cowering behind the kid. Clint wasn't about to take it out on the little girl – Medusa, Daisy said her name was – but he certainly wouldn't have minded putting arrows in both Catherine Hale's and Loki's eye sockets.

When she described Phil showing up and announcing that he was going to take the Hales into custody on behalf of the Quorum…that was when things got really weird.

Perhaps not as weird as they were now, but still.

"I don't know what Ruby did," she explained, "but her eyes glowed…and Dad and Crystal, and Lola and Lockjaw, just vanished. And then one of the hells decided to break loose."

Damnit, Phil…you just had to go alone, didn't you? Clint was going to have some words when his lover was home. He wasn't going to accept any other outcome, that Phil and Crystal and the dragons being found and brought home. Because the Elf was going to have yet another discussion about how Phil wasn't alone and that he didn't need to go all lone wolf anymore…especially when it had to do with one of their kids.

It might have been Phil's Keep first, but Clint was _so_ kicking him out of the bedroom for this shit.

"We'll find them." Because there was no other option. And Clint was pissed all to the hells. "We'll find Crystal and your Dad."

"He is not your father," the strange woman snapped, her face looking like a thundercloud had somehow passed over it.

Oh, hells no…

He had no idea who this bitch was, but she had no _clue_.

Clint was about to say something along those lines, but Daisy beat him to it.

"You can just fuck right off!" Clint would have been shocked by the language if he wasn't silently cheering her on. "You're Hydra, and your magic is sick, and I don't want to have a thing to do with you."

"And who is this?" Clint glared at her. Lucky actually stopped loving on Skye to hiss at the stranger.

"She _claims_ she's my birth mother. And she teamed up with Hydra and Loki."

Clint glared at the woman, who glared right back. Yes, he could see the resemblance, mostly around the eyes, so he could believe that they were somehow related. And Daisy wasn't impressed, which was another mark against her.

If it weren't for the battle raging around them, the Elf would have taken the time out to give the woman a dose of truth about Phil, and how he was more her father than anyone who'd contributed to her conception, but refrained.

Instead, he turned his back on her, determined to completely ignore her in favor of making certain Daisy was alright. He would trust Jack and Steve to watch his back while he did so, but he also made sure he was on alert as well. The last thing he wanted was to get himself killed before he could have those words with Phil.

"Things are getting worse," Steve called back over his shoulder. "We need to get the kids under cover."

That much was obvious. More and more _things_ were appearing, and if they didn't stop it from happening they were going to be overrun.

"Hey!" Daisy exclaimed hotly. "Not a kid, Uncle Steve!"

"Yeah," Clint agreed, "but you've been using magic at a really fast rate, and you look exhausted."

"Not gonna lie, I'm starting to feel it." She sighed. "I might be powerful but that doesn't mean a damned thing if I can't control it."

"Then pick up your gauntlets and let's find somewhere to hunker down until all this is over." He'd noticed immediately that she didn't have them on anymore, probably because Daisy had figured she'd need to let loose on these demons and shit.

He'd get her and the kid with her somewhere safe and out of the fighting, where he could protect her far more easily than standing out in the open and letting Jack and Steve take the brunt of the attacks. They'd already made themselves a target by disregarding the action around them, and they couldn't really afford to do that any longer.

The first rule of any sort of melee fighting was to keep moving. Clint had thoroughly disregarded that rule because of Daisy, and it was time to get his head back into the game.

Daisy's so-called Mom shot off another spell, this one sizzling past Clint's ear to strike an approaching creature with some pretty impressive horns. She was smirking when he glared back at her; he'd noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye, and had had his bow nearly ready when she'd purposely aimed that close. Daisy also glared at her, not at all impressed by the woman's showboating and not afraid to show it. The hiss both Lucky and Skye gave the woman was pretty spectacular, as well.

Clint glared at her as well, since he was pretty sure she'd done it because she wanted to show off to Daisy, and while the archer wanted to scream at her for it, at least she'd managed to blast whatever that had been back into whatever hell it had come from.

"Clint," Daisy said urgently, "there are about two dozen other kids here. They're all mostly Wizards, and Jiaying over there," she narrowed her eyes at the scarred woman, "has been collecting them like pets –"

"We're not pets!" the little kid corrected angrily. "Mistress Jiaying saved us!"

Clint really wanted the story behind this, but this also wasn't the time for that. "We need to find them and get them all to safety."

It was going to be a difficult job; after all, whoever had lived here obviously knew the best hiding places. He wasn't seeing any bodies lying about – there was Catherine Hale, but she was hunkered down against the wall of one of the still-standing houses, and why wasn't she using her magic to help out? Her life was in danger, too!

There were also a pair of black boots on the other side of that stone in the center of the village and, while Clint was pretty sure that was Loki, and as much as he'd love to put an arrow in what passed for the bastard's heart, he was going to leave him to Prince Thor. Who seemed to be enjoying himself smashing monsters with that big hammer of his.

He crouched down in front of the little girl, who cringed a little away from him. Clint hated that, but he could understand. "You know this place…where's the best place to hide? We need somewhere I can defend easily until we can take Ruby Hale down."

Medusa bit her lip. "This way."

She scampered away, and Daisy followed, picking up Skye on the way and collecting her discarded gauntlets. Clint didn't say anything to their two bodyguards; Jack and Steve would have heard everything anyway, and they didn't question what was going on. They simply kept on the lookout, making certain that none of the creatures followed or attacked them along the way.

They had to dodge quite a few monsters, but Medusa led them to a building that was made entirely of stone, which would have made it harder to pull down around their ears. Jack was giving the place a critical eye, but apparently decided it was alright for its purposes. "You gonna stay on guard?" he asked.

Clint nodded. "Go back and help the others. I've got this."

Medusa scuttled into the building, and Daisy went with her. Jiaying made to follow, but Clint stopped her. "You've got power," he told her, "you're perfectly capable of defending your village."

Her sharp features turned mulish. "I'm not leaving my daughter."

"I think it's pretty obvious Daisy doesn't think you're her mother," he pointed out. "Maybe you should start proving yourself to her by kicking some monster ass."

Jiaying didn't look all that happy, but Jack was already ushering her away. He didn't look all that comfortable around her, which Clint was gratified to know he wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed.

Steve gave him a nod, and Clint couldn't help but also be impressed by the fact that he could actually _see_ in that helmet. It had to play merry hells with his peripheral vision.

It was sheer chaos. The building was far enough away from the center of the village, where the majority of the action was taking place, that Clint thought they may have just gotten a bit of a breather. Ducking inside the building, he could tell it was some sort of school, with desks and chairs in rows facing one wall, where someone had stuck a large chalkboard; the last lesson there had been something with spelling, judging from the words traced out on the black surface. There was a shelf of books along another wall, and brass hooks for cloaks in the wintertime. A desk was just in front of the chalkboard, and kids' art projects were arrayed on yet another wall. There were glowglobes up around the space; but only a couple were lit, casting the place into gloom.

There were no windows. Clint would have been a bit concerned about that, but today it would work in their favor. Even if it made them blind to what was going outside, it also meant nothing could look in and see _them_.

There were fifteen kids in the room, not counting Daisy and Medusa, and assorted dragons, every single one of the kids staring at him with a mixture of distrust and fear. If the Elf had to guess, they ranged from before primary school age to old enough to attend the Wizard's School, and yet they were apparently being taught in this one room schoolhouse.

Well, except for Medusa, but then she'd been sent to convince Daisy to come with her, so Hydra could get their hands on his daughter.

Clint should have been mad about that, but all he could feel was sorry for the girl, having been used the way she was.

The dragons all seemed to want to share their companions' distrust of Clint, but _hello_…he was an Elf, with that charisma all Elves seemed to have when he came to dragons, and they were all either inching toward him to get attention or were looking imploring at their Wizards for permission to jump all over him. As much as Clint adored dragons, he was hoping they wouldn't break their discipline at the moment. Later on, he'd go to every single one of them and introduce himself, but for now it was just too crazy and Clint needed to be on his toes. He was hoping that their dragons' acceptance of him would go a long way to building some trust with these poor kids.

Daisy must not have been holding a grudge, because she was sitting with Medusa at one of the desks, speaking to her softly. She noticed Clint watching them, and she waved him over. The archer joined them, resting a hand on Daisy's shoulder, just to reassure her that, yes, he was really there. She looked as if she needed it.

It was a testament to Phil's parenting that she wasn't freaking out more than she was. One of the many things Clint had noticed about his lover was that he was a generally calm person, which was a change from the angry young man he'd known back when he'd run with the Dark One. It was dead sexy, even moreso than the pissed off Wizard look he'd had going all those years ago.

"Medusa," Daisy introduced, "this is my other Dad, Clint. Dad, this is Medusa, and she said something really interesting before everything blew up. I think you should hear it."

"Sure." He pulled one of the chairs over; it was child-sized, and his knees practically hit his chin once his ass was settled onto the seat. "What's up?"

He did his best to ignore the fact that there was a fight going on outside, and that he probably should be out there helping. This was where he needed to be, and the others would understand.

He couldn't ignore just how it made him feel to have Daisy call him Dad, though. He'd been beginning to wonder if she ever would.

Medusa looked at him warily. "Did you really adopt Crystal?"

That…wasn't quite what Clint had been expecting. "We did, Phil and I."

"And her parents really just kicked her out because she was Void?"

Clint confirmed that.

"All the kids here suffered the same fate," Daisy explained. "Jiaying found them…which would be a good thing, but I'm not sure she wasn't trying to form some sort of cult of personality out of their misfortune."

The archer saw red. Oh, not at the cult thing, which was bad enough, but at the fact that Crystal wasn't an isolated occurrence. Phil and the others really had a mess to clean up…

When they got Phil back, of course. Clint was determined to find him and drag his ass back home, so he could shout at him a little.

"He's not mad at you," Daisy hastened to say, when Medusa flinched back a little at Clint's glare.

"No, sweetheart," he reassured her, "it's not you. I'm mad at your parents for doing that to you, when all they should have done was love you."

The red-headed girl looked a little amazed at that response. "It's just that…Crystal is my sister."

Clint couldn't stop his jaw from hitting the floor. Oh, Gods…

Yes, they'd known there'd been an older sister. Sir Napoleon Solo of Barony Uncelas had discovered it during his investigation into Crystal's former parents, but at the time it had been rumor only. Crystal had also seemed to recall having a sibling, back during their adoption of her, and that had been a confirmation of sorts. Sir Napoleon hadn't been able to uncover any sign of her, and he'd certainly tried.

He and Phil had discussed it, of course they had. If, by some miracle, Crystal's sister was found, what they would do. They hadn't talked to Daisy about it, because it had been such an abstract concept; after all, Crystal had been in such bad shape when Phil had found her, and it just seemed impossible that this half-remembered older sister would have survived being kicked out of her own home by her bigoted parents.

"I remembered her hair," Medusa whispered. "Even as a baby, she had that black streak in her hair. I can remember Dad and Mom talking about it. Dad had claimed it was some sort of evil omen, but Mom wasn't so sure."

Crystal's hair was certainly unique, and it was one of the reasons why their youngest liked dressing up in yellow and black, like some sort of really cute bee. Phil had once said it was as if the Void had marked her, and Clint was proud of the fact that his family was so blessed by both the Void and the Deep Ways.

"She kinda remembers you," Clint told her. "Oh, I doubt she knows what you look like, but she did mention that she thought she'd had an elder sister."

Medusa's pale eyes were glassy from tears. "I was afraid she'd be punished if she got Tested Void, but Jiaying didn't get there in time to find her…"

Clint was glad of that. Daisy seemed to distrust her, which was good enough for the Elf. There was also the thing about teaming up with Hydra, and he was going to have to explain what she'd claimed about the woman's magic being sick.

Lucky, being the sensitive dragon that he was, was instantly cuddled up to Medusa, accepting her unconditionally. The girl sniffled, scratching him on the head, which meant the silly dragon now had a friend for life.

"You'll let me see her, won't you?" she asked tearfully. "I know I did something wrong, but I didn't know that Daisy was Crystal's new sister, and that Mistress Catherine was gonna lie to me to get me to convince Daisy to come with me…the bullying was real, honest! I didn't make that up!"

Daisy had her arm around the little girl, hugging her. "I forgive you," she said. "It wasn't like you knew what the Hales were up to."

The archer had to agree. She was just a kid, for the Heavens' sake, and shouldn't have been roped into Hydra's plans. And, if Jiaying had been any sort of guardian, she would have stopped it from happening.

"Of course you can see her," he promised. "In fact…when we first heard that Crystal seemed to recall an older sister, we had people looking for you." His eyes met Daisy's over Medusa's head; he glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow and hoping Daisy got the hint.

She seemed to, if the brilliant smile she gave him was any indication.

"We were looking for you, because we wanted to find you…so we could adopt you, too."

If asked, before Daisy and Crystal, Clint would have denied ever wanting children of his own. His own childhood had been absolute shit. But then Phil had come along, with a nearly-grown daughter of his own, and the Elf had realized that Daisy was a part of a puzzle he hadn't even known was missing pieces. Crystal had been another piece.

He found himself thanking every single one of the Gods for letting them find Medusa. He'd despaired of it, to be honest.

Before Medusa could say anything, there was a loud crash on the roof of the building, making the walls shake a little. The kids who were scattered across the room made various sounds of distress and, while Clint didn't really want to, he shushed them all, standing and pulling his bow around from where he'd looped it over his quiver. He made a gesture to Daisy, who also understood that one as well, and the young woman gathered all the kids together and conjured a Shield over the lot of them.

Praying she could hold it, Clint slipped an arrow out and set it on the string, his eyes on the ceiling, hoping that whatever had slammed into it didn't manage to make the building collapse on them all…


	66. Chapter 66

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

The very moment Thor came through Grand Master Stephen's portal, he was smashing a strange creature with Mjolnir.

Now, _this_ was glorious battle!

He had not been expecting this when he had followed Grand Master Stephen to Triskelia. His mission had been to find Loki and bring him home, so a grand melee had _not_ been the first thing he had considered. Of course, knowing Loki and his schemes and his history, such a thing had been on Thor's list of things that _might_ come to fruition with Loki on the loose; however, as his brother's magic had been broken as it was, summoning demons as he had once the Chitauri could very well have been beyond his current abilities.

It seemed as if that was not the case.

Giving a loud battle cry, Thor waded into the fray, his hammer taking out opponents as quickly as they could replenish their forces. Magic must indeed have been involved, as these creatures were not natural to this place as far as the Prince knew.

And…was that a _Bilgesnipe_?

Oh, if he could take its head back to Asgard as a trophy, Lady Sif would indeed be jealous. Bilgesnipes had long been gone from Asgard, and were only living within the elders' tales anymore. To have such a trophy would cement his reputation as the greatest hunter in all of Asgard.

A roar echoed his own shout, and Thor turned to see the man, Doctor Banner, change into a large green monster, and begin to take his own fair share of battlefield glory. Now, that was indeed a surprise, he had not expected to see a Berserker, either, especially one not so verdant in hue as this one. To be honest, Thor had wondered just what the man would have been able to offer to their efforts, so to be a witness to this change answered all of his questions.

He dared not lose himself completely to the combat. He would need to discover where Loki was, to see just what his contribution was to all of this. The only thing he could see was a blonde-haired child, who was apparently under the thrall of some sort of magic, and it appeared as if the Grand Masters were aware of it and were going to attempt to take care of that particular situation. There was no sign of Loki; however, that was much like his brother, in that he would stand behind the scenes and watch the chaos he had sown unfold, until it was time for him to make his appearance. Seeking out Loki was his goal and, no matter how much he was enjoying himself, he needed to keep that foremost in his mind.

Loki could have been anywhere within this chaos. Thor was certain he was somehow involved, yet the center of the maelstrom was apparently a youngster who, to his untrained eye, seemed to be possessed by some sort of power that was uncontrollable by one so immature. And yet, the Prince was willing to bet his hammer that Loki had somehow instigated this, because he knew his brother and his ability to cause such mayhem without it falling back onto himself. To stop this, they would need to discover Loki's whereabouts as well as bring the child down and remove whatever it was that had taken her over.

Even as Thor fought, he could see his compatriots fulfilling their own chosen tasks. Sir Steve and Captain Harkness were protecting a young woman who had been the focus of several attacks, as the Master Archer, Clint Barton, spoke to her, to most likely gain a better idea as to what was occurring around them. This they would need if they hoped to contain the chaos.

The two Grand Masters were approaching the poor child who was inadvertently responsible for the growing number of monsters within such a small valley. Thor would trust them to take care of her, while he would focus on discovering Loki's whereabouts.

Baron Tony's armor was truly amazing. Powered by magic, obviously, and yet the man was not a Wizard. What an amazing feat that was, for a normal mortal to be able to harness such magicks. Thor had heard stories in the past, when magic had been gone, of those who would use those Artifacts that had been left behind and had caused such evil to be borne, even if they had not meant for that outcome to occur. So, he could applaud the Baron for managing something that others had failed to do.

Thor had been concerned for the one-armed warrior, and yet it seemed as if his concerns had been unwarranted. The man fought like a demon and, with the red-haired Widow and the dark-haired Steward at his side, he seemed to be unstoppable. What anger in his soul would cause such a disablement to not be a hindrance? The Prince had known warriors in Asgard to be unable to regain their level of fighting ability after such a horrific injury. He would speak to this man, and discover his story. Such a tale would be worthy of being told in the halls of Asgard's palace.

Truly, Thor had found himself amid a group of heroes, and would gladly proclaim them as such to his very father. They did indeed deserve all the recognition that could be given.

As he was busily taking down one of the many creatures that were unfamiliar to him, Thor happened to catch a glimpse of black boots just beyond where the unfortunate child was being confronted by the two Grand Masters, on the far side of a jet-colored stone that was sitting within a suspiciously bare section of earth in the center of the tiny village that was being destroyed around them. Giving a knowing smirk, Thor turned his attention toward that place, understanding that his brother was seeking shelter behind that stone, most likely using magic in order to shield himself. His position made it all the more certain in Thor's mind that Loki was, indeed, somehow behind events, being that close to the center of the magical maelstrom about them.

It took him a little time to get through the morass of fighting; however, Thor did eventually manage to get close to where his brother was hiding. He could make out Loki, lying on the ground, and as the Prince approached the familiar figure seemed to waver as if in the summer's heat and then fade, revealing it to be yet one more of Loki's illusions.

Cursing to himself, Thor sought to locate his brother once more. But there was no sign of him anywhere that the Prince could see.

Loki had, yet again, escaped.

This did not surprise Thor in the slightest.

He would have used the chaos about him to make his way out of the line of fire, using his magic in order to obscure his presence from anyone deliberately searching for him. A part of Thor was somewhat glad that Loki had gotten out of the way of danger; after all, even with everything between them, Thor did love his brother immensely. It had been difficult for him to visit Loki while he had been imprisoned, even as he recognized the need for it. Loki was mad, and could not be trusted on his own.

It looked as if Thor's quest was not yet done.

There was a sudden shriek, and he spun, Mjolnir raised and ready to strike. It was not another attack upon him, however.

Someone had managed to put an arrow into the young girl's shoulder.

Thor watched as she tumbled to the ground, another arrow just barely missing her as she dropped right in front of the pair of Grand Masters. How ironic that it had not been a magical spell that had brought the poor child's rampage to an end, but an earthly arrow, from the bow of the Master Archer's brother.

The red aura that had surrounded her body flickered as she lost what little control she had had over the overwhelming energy that had brought the creatures into being there. She cried out once more as she struck the ground hard, crumpling where she lay. Thor's heart went out to her, knowing that it must have been horrific that she had lost herself to whatever had occurred to force her to perform such acts.

There were such Artifacts in the world that could take control over a person, especially one of weak mind and/or body. Thor might not have been of Wizardly bent, but this he did know. There were tales that spoke of such things, and Thor had been an avid listener as a child, his mother being a remarkable storyteller. Yes, they had not held the same fascination for him that stories of glorious battle had, yet they had served to get the lesson across to him that one did not mess with unknown magical items. It was dangerous in the extreme, even moreso than facing a warrior in combat; at least, when faced with a physical weapon, it would have a known conclusion if you were struck with it. With an Artifact, there was no way of knowing what it could do until it was too late.

Grand Master Ianto was at the girl's side at once, his hands on her cheeks. His eyes flashed, changing from blue to black and gold, as he brought his power to bear.

At his touch, the child's back arched upward, and it was all that the Cardinal Grand Master could do to keep his hands on her. "Stephen!" he called out, "I need your help."

In that instant, Thor realized that, if Grand Master Stephen came to Ianto Jones' aid, they would very well be defenseless against any attack. They would need to concentrate on the girl, in order to heal whatever was wrong, and would not be able to stop anyone or anything approaching them with the intent to do harm.

Both Grand Masters knew it, as well, judging from their matching expressions of concern. Grand Master Stephen's dark eyes were darting about as he came to land beside Grand Master Ianto, and it was obvious that he was attempting to come up with a plan that would protect both Wizards as they worked, one that would not refer upon the uncertain archery of the man who had taken the girl down; he seemed to have disappeared within the melee once more, possibly distracted by the attackers surrounding them.

"Do your best to aid her," Thor said, stepping forward, adjusting his grip on Mjolnir. "I shall stand guard over you, Grand Masters."

Grand Master Ianto looked relieved. "Thank you, Your Highness. And, it's Ianto."

"And Stephen," the Great Grand Master added, sinking to his knees besides his compatriot.

Thor was gratified by their trust in him, and the permission they were giving him to address them as friends. "Then, please…my friends call me Thor."

Ianto tossed him a smile as he went back to his magical examination of the young girl, Stephen putting his own hands on the child's thrashing shoulders, holding her down even as he made his own examination.

Thor let them to their work as he did his, standing watch over them and preventing them from being attacked.


	67. Chapter 67

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve felt today had been a day of revelations, and it wasn't over yet.

He would process them all once this mess was taken care of, although that didn't stop him from wondering about the woman that Jack was steering away from the building they'd just left Clint and Daisy at. There was something…twisted…about Mistress Jiaying, something his intuition was telling him that could not be trusted. He could tell that Jack felt the same, just from the grasp on her arm and his cutting words to her about her protecting the village instead of staying with Clint and Daisy… who she claimed was her daughter.

He could see it in her features, that there was a blood relationship between them. However, the woman had another think coming if she thought Daisy would accept her. She already had two amazing fathers, and had gone without a mother her entire life. Steve had no idea what had happened to have caused Mistress Jiaying to leave her only daughter but, after what Daisy had been through in her short life – and Steve was pretty sure he didn't even know a fourth of it – there was no way there would be even a smidgen of forgiveness from his new niece for the mother who had apparently abandoned her.

It hadn't gotten past him, Daisy's accusation of the woman's magic being sick, and her having sided with Hydra. That in itself would have been enough to have her daughter turning her back on her, and that was without the abandonment.

Still, he didn't know the entire story. He could only go by his own gut feeling, and that was telling him not to trust Mistress Jiaying. Not one bit.

They hadn't gotten too far away when they were attacked by four creatures Steve had never seen before.

They has bodies like normal men, but it was their heads that were distorted beyond anything he could have imagined. They were bulbous, with dead-looking eyes and enormous mouths lined with razor-sharp teeth. They snarled as they attached in a pack.

Without even thinking about it, Steve had his back against Jack's, and they were fighting for their lives. The beasts might not have had weapons, but their claws and teeth certain counted as such, and they were canny in avoiding Steve's own strikes.

He lost track of Jiaying, but Steve knew she wouldn't go all that far. Not with her supposed daughter hunkered down in a building not that far away.

"They're called Weevils," Jack called back over his shoulder, even as he was swinging his own sword. "They usually live in a secluded valley in the United Kingdom, and only come out if it's absolutely necessary. Don't let them draw blood; their claws are toxic. And don't get me started on their teeth."

Steve didn't need to know about their teeth. His imagination was just fine without any sort of fodder for it.

Even though he had never fought beside Jack Harkness before, Steve found himself falling into the pattern of the man's fighting style. He remembered the soldier that he'd been back during the Century War; back then, Steve had been impressed with Jack's ability with any sort of weapon, and had been considering him for the Howling Commandos. The only thing that had stopped him from asking was the fact that he hadn't wanted to bring a stranger into their unit, someone they would have to adapt to fighting beside, and then Bucky had died and the Skull had happened, and Steve had ended up trapped within the Void for three hundred years.

He hadn't known that their Quartermaster had been the Deathless. Steve had been shocked when Jack had showed up after so long, and had dropped that bit of news into his lap. And his long life certainly explained the man's prowess with a blade.

Now, as they fought back to back, Steve was realizing that that had been a mistake on his part, not inviting him into the Commandos.

"Where are all these creatures coming from?" Steve snarked, as he blocked a Weevil's slashing claws with his shield, then struck with his sword, taking it down. "We need to cut them off pretty soon or else we'll be overrun."

"Ianto's on it," Jack assured him. "He and Stephen will get to the bottom of things."

He was absolutely certain, and Steve felt the same way. Both Ianto and Stephen were very powerful, and he trusted that they would be able to stop the portals and keep anymore of the monsters from coming through. As it was, it seemed as if the portals were opening at a faster rate, and the beasts entering the valley were larger and more destructive than before.

The former Paladin could make out the two Wizards, facing down Ruby Hale, the one who was obviously behind all this. Had it been some sort of Artifact? Or was she that powerful and no one had known it?

And what had happened to Phil, and Crystal? Had they been sent to the same place these monsters were popping up from?

There were so many things they didn't know yet, but they had to stop this rampage before they could do anything about it.

Together, the two fighters took down their opponents; the problem was, more and more beasts were arriving by the moment, and soon they would all be overwhelmed if it kept up. Steve had managed to keep one eye on the team that had come along, and he could tell they all had things well in hand… he'd been worried particularly about Buck, but then he could understand why. He'd lost his best friend once, he didn't want to do it again. However, Bucky had things well in hand, and his own back was being watched by Steward Melinda and Natasha, both strong and deadly fighters. In fact, Steve never wanted to make either woman mad at him.

He could also make out Dr. Banner, who was now a large green troll-like being who seemed to be enjoying himself immensely smashing whatever came within reach. He understood the nature of the curses that had been put on the man, and had no doubt that the asshole who'd done the cursing certainly had had no idea that what he'd done as a punishment would become so very useful.

Baron Tony was also evident; he was currently facing down a flying creature that resembled a bat, only that was larger than a man. It seemed to be pissed off that the Baron was shooting at it, and Steve made a mental note to get the man some target practice in before they had to deploy once more. That armor was going to be damned useful once Baron Tony could use it properly.

But there was something about that Artifact that was embedded in his chest. Steve had only seen it the once, as the Baron was putting on his armor, but the Knight could swear it was familiar in some way…

The others were lost in the chaos of the battle, but Steve trusted them to watch out for each other. These fighters were the cream of the crop, and he knew they'd do the very best they could in order to win.

He'd managed to fall in with a group of people every bit as competent as the Howling Commandos has been. Steve was proud to fight beside them.

A sudden noise had them both spinning in unison back toward the building where they'd left Clint and Daisy, and Steve's eyes widened behind his helmet as he took in just what had landed on the flat roof of the stone structure. The building was still shaking a little at the impact, and Steve hoped it wouldn't collapse under the strain.

It was the largest dragon he'd seen yet.

Steve had heard descriptions, from Clint, of the Queen of Air and Fire, and he was pretty sure this dragon was even larger than the Great Mother. Scales the color of emeralds glittered in the sun, and wise blue eyes, with slitted pupils, was regarding the battle around them; as Steve watched, the dragon breathed fire down onto a large, troll-like creature that was threatening it, burning it to ash in a heartbeat. Steve doubted the beast had even had time to feel the heat of the flames before it was destroyed.

"Holy shit," Jack breathed in shock.

Steve echoed that sentiment.

"Well," the dragon commented, in an accent that, strangely, reminded him of Ianto's, "I get the feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore." The words were unbelievably snarky.

He didn't know what shocked him more: the fact that that dragon was claiming to be from somewhere Steve had never heard of, or that it was talking _at all_. It certainly wasn't because it had appeared out of nowhere, because that had been occurring from the moment they'd set foot into this valley.

This was the first dragon Steve had ever heard speak aloud. He was aware that every Wizard had a connection to their dragon, allowing for the sharing of emotions and such, but no dragon had the actual ability to use human _words_. Let alone words that sounded just like they'd been uttered by the Grand Master of Cardinals, if only in a deeper tone with a vague rumbling under the words, like a groundquake come to life.

It didn't seem interested in attacking, so that was a plus in Steve's opinion. But then, it also wasn't mindless like the rest of the creatures that had been summoned do far.

And then, those blue eyes were staring straight at them. Steve was struck by the sheer _age_ in them, and he had to wonder just how old this dragon was.

The dragon didn't have eyebrows, and yet it did a very good impression of raising them in surprise. "Ah, that answers _that_ question."

"Um," Steve managed to say, until he was distracted by a spider-like monster bearing down on him, ichor dripping from fangs as long as his forearm. "What question?"

"Duck," the dragon requested instead of responding.

The former Paladin did so without even questioning the order.

Fire leaped out of the dragon's maw, and the spider crisped up nicely.

Steve wondered if he would have had some sort of flash burn from how close that flame had gotten if he hadn't been wearing full armor.

"I have more questions," the dragon went on.

"You're not the only one," Jack snarked back, answering for the both. The Deathless spun on his heel, slashing with his own sword, taking out yet another monster with an accurate slice to the throat.

"That was impressive." The dragon almost sounded turned on.

What?

That wasn't disturbing.

Maybe it was.

"Are you _flirting_ with me?" Jack demanded, his voice rising almost into a squeak.

"Maybe," the dragon rumbled unrepentantly. Its rather large tongue darted out to lick its muzzle. If a dragon could make something look lascivious, that was certainly it.

"Sorry, but I'm quite happily married."

Jack didn't say a word about it being a dragon that was propositioning him. Steve wasn't sure how he felt about that, besides being slightly weirded out.

The dragon smiled, revealing very dangerous looking teeth. "I should hope to that man who appears to be Ianto Jones. It would be a shame otherwise."

Steve started. This dragon knew Ianto?

"You know Ianto?" Jack asked, suddenly suspicious.

"You could say that."

With those words, the dragon launched himself off the roof, wings breaking his fall…and he managed to stomp on one other creature in the process, squashing it quite thoroughly. Shaking a foot with distaste and gore flying off those formidable claws, he stepped forward; and as he did so, a golden glow enveloped his enormous body.

As they watched, the glow shrunk to man-sized, and then faded away.

Revealing Ianto Jones.

"What the hells?" Steve blurted. How was that possible?

Jack didn't say anything. Instead, he had his sword pointed at the dragon who could apparently change his shape, growling sharply in anger. "Who are you?" He was obviously on a knife's edge, ready to do violence against the creature who'd dared resemble his husband. Not that Steve could blame him for feeling that way.

Steve took a good look at the being before them. His hair was just a shade shorter than their Ianto's, and he looked a little younger as well; except for his eyes, which had kept the same age as the dragon's had had, and they also lacked the gold ring around the pupil. His clothes were certainly strange, the trousers a blue material that didn't resemble any sort of fabric Steve had ever seen. What might have been some sort of pullover was a rich red, with a high collar right around his throat and looked to have been hand-knitted…only the stitches were far too uniform for that. His shoes were also strange; they weren't anything like what the Knight had ever seen before, with an odd, thick sole and of some sort of canvas material. Only the laces were familiar, and yet they weren't.

"My name," the dragon said, "is Ianto Jones…and you're Jack Harkness." He smiled. "Only, my Jack doesn't have the habit of going around hacking monsters' heads off. Which is quite amazing, by the way. He also doesn't wear armor, and I am going to have to discuss that with him at some point, because that is a definite turn-on, which is also a big surprise, as I do not have the best experience with knights." His eyes turned to Steve, narrowing slightly as he took in the armor and the face-obscuring helmet. Steve could practically feel the disapproval scorching his skin. It made him want to scuff his boots and be all embarrassed about his choices in his life.

Jack scoffed. "I'm not knight material. Just a mercenary who knows how to fight."

Steve wanted to argue with that. Jack was very much knight material, and he planned on correcting him on that subject once they were out of this situation. He wondered who he could speak to over in the United Kingdom about that sort of thing.

"But that doesn't explain why you look like my husband, and how you know me."

"Because apparently I have been sucked into a reality different from my own, and I am _that_ reality's version of Ianto Jones."

"Huh." Steve had to consider that comment. Was that what was happening? Ruby Hale was somehow bringing these monsters from another reality? How was she managing to do that? And how were they going to stop her?

"On your left," the dragon warned.

Jack spun, took out another creature, and then was back holding his sword on their 'guest'. "Thanks." He sounded grudgingly grateful.

"You're quite welcome. Now, perhaps we should wait and talk about this after all this is over? We're just going to keep on being interrupted." The man/dragon waved his hand toward the fighting.

Steve had to admit, he certainly had his priorities straight. "We need that building protected." He indicated the one the dragon had landed on. "There are innocents inside, and the last thing we want is anyone getting inside and hurting them." It wasn't that he thought Clint couldn't handle it; but having help certainly wouldn't hurt, and besides Steve suspected that his Elven friend was going to be somewhat distracted by Phil and Crystal's disappearance, as well as Daisy and the rest of the kids that had been living within the valley.

"Leave that to me." Turning his back on Jack's sword as if not at all bothered by the fact that it had been pointed in his direction, the stranger with the familiar face changed back into a dragon once more, settling carefully onto the roof of the building again, alert eyes watching the battle.

"Alright," Jack stated. "That makes more sense than it really should."

"You seem to be accepting it pretty easily." He didn't mention the 'pointing the sword at the dragon' thing, which ended the moment this other version of Ianto said he was from a different reality.

One side of Jack's mouth quirked upward in a small grin. "Remind me to tell you about Daffyd Jones sometime."

Steve was going to do just that. "Come on, we need to keep thinning out the hordes until Ianto and Stephen could figure things out." He had lost sight of them, as well as of Ruby Hale, so he had to assume the Grand Masters had things well in hand for the time being.

"I don't see any more portals," Jack said as they waded back into the fray. "I'm hoping that means there aren't any more waiting to jump out at us."

"Agreed." Steve wasn't tired as yet, but he really wanted this fight over with before fatigue started to really set in.

"Look out!"

Steve felt himself being pushed out of the way as soon as he registered Jack shouting at him. He stumbled, the weight of the armor unbalancing him a little, but he soon regained his feet just as he heard a cry of pain coming from Jack's direction.

Turning, his sword out and ready, Steve had a clear view of Jack Harkness taking a death blow that had been meant for Steve himself.

It was a creature that would have looked like any normal human…except for the long blade that had taken the place of its left hand and arm. That blade had managed to find an opening, and had stabbed deep within Jack's side, wedging into the tiny space where the buckles kept the man's breastplate and backplate connected together. It should have been impossible to get anything within that tiny opening, and yet this thing had, stabbing upward and skewering his friend like a piece of beef on a spit. Blood gushed from the wound, dribbling from Jack's mouth, and he crumpled, taking the monster down with him when it didn't have enough time to draw its blade back.

Steve thrust his own sword at it…and the blade skittered off the skin as if there was some sort of Shield spell protecting it.

A loud bellow echoed out over the fighting, and suddenly the dragon was there, his jaws snapping down on the creature's head. It didn't seem to do all that much damage, but the thing was ripped away from Jack's body and flung aside as if it was some sort of doll. The dragon stomped down on it, its claws pinning it to the ground, making it impossible for the creature to move.

"It is of Cell 1-1-4," the dragon explained. "There is a forcefield that surrounds its body, making it impossible to kill."

"A forcefield?" Steve asked, confused. "A Shield spell?"

The dragon nodded. "Yes, you could say that. I did sense that magic is much more powerful here than it is in my own reality." He leaned all his weight on the monster, and it just laughed at him.

"Then we'll get one of our Wizards to remove it."

"That may work," the dragon allowed. He glanced back toward Jack. "Will he come back?"

Steve blinked. "Jack's Deathless in your reality as well?" He supposed that was possible. Not that he understood a thing about the multiverse and all its permutations. He was a simple Knight, after all.

"That…is an apt name for it. Yes, he is. And he dislikes coming back alone."

Without even thinking, Steve was wrenching the helmet off, and was kneeling beside the cooling body of his friend. "Keep them off me?"

"I shall."

Jack might have been Deathless, but that didn't mean that Steve was going to take the man's life lightly. He'd stepped in between Steve and certain death, taking all that pain himself, and Steve would owe him a debt for that, for the rest of his life. There would be no way of him truly repaying it, but he'd do his damnedest to try.

Gathering up Jack in his arms, Steve sat back to wait.

His eyes met those of the dragon, who was staring at him knowingly. "I should have guessed that you were some version of Steve Rogers. You have the same nobility as the man I know."

Steve couldn't help but chuckle. "There's another one of me, too?"

"Indeed. As there are of every single one of the heroes here today. I have the honor of knowing each and every one of them."

The Paladin found himself grateful that there was another universe out there where he'd met the amazing people he'd done here, that the Gods had deigned him worthy of being included in their company in a different reality.

However, there was a sadness in the dragon's eyes and, while Steve wanted to ask about it, he didn't dare. Maybe he didn't want to know what had happened to those other Avengers he'd known. He should be content with what he had here, and not wish to know a reality he would never see.

As he sat there, he noticed that the ranks of the attackers was, indeed, thinning out, so Jack had been correct about that. He sighed in gratitude; it certainly seemed as if Ianto and Stephen had it under control.

With a harsh breath, Jack flailed back to life in Steve's arms.

Steve clutched him a little tighter, wanting to comfort him as much as he could, yet knowing it wouldn't have been as much as Ianto would have been able to do. Perhaps he should have watched the monster who'd killed Jack in the first place, and let the dragon take on Ianto's shape again and take his place. From the expression of relief in the dragon's ancient eyes, Steve could tell that he was wishing he'd been the one to hold Jack when he resurrected.

Jack might not have appreciated that, however. The dragon might have resembled his husband, but he wasn't this reality's Ianto Jones. Steve doubted he would have gotten the same comfort out of it if it had been Grand Master Ianto Jones waiting for him to come back to life.

"Thanks." Jack's voice was wrecked, and the pain in his eyes made Steve wish he hadn't put himself in the way of that blade's strike. His friend was suffering because he'd saved Steve's life.

And yet, Jack had done it voluntarily. He hadn't been forced into it. There was no way Steve was even going to suggest that Jack had been wrong to save Steve from death. That would have denigrated the sacrifice he'd made.

Jack might have been Deathless, but it was apparent that he felt all of the pain that being killed had entailed.

"I would say anytime," Steve quipped, "but let's not do that again if we can help it, alright?"

"No promises." Jack clambered to his feet, a little unsteady, and Steve slipped his hand under his elbow in order to support him until he could get his strength back. He glanced down at his bloody armor and undershirt. "Damn, Ianto is going to lecture me about ruining yet another shirt."

The dragon chuckled. "Do you blame him?"

"No, I suppose not." He looked up at the dragon, who was still leaning all of his not inconsiderable weight on the creature under his claw. "Is your Jack like me?"

The dragon nodded. "He is my mate, and we shall have eternity together."

"It's good to know that we get together in other realities."

"We do. I have been to another reality once before, with different a Jack and Ianto, and they were also together. It really is gratifying to know we were always meant to be."

It just seemed incredible that alternate realities existed. "I have so many questions." And Steve had the feeling he might not get the all the answers.

"I think we all do." Jack clapped him on the shoulder, then bent to retrieve his sword. "We need to take care of business." He turned his face toward the dragon. "Can you still watch the building _and_ keep your foot on that asshole?"

A smirk grew across the dragon's muzzle. "Watch me."


	68. Chapter 68

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto gripped Ruby Hale's face between his palms, wanting to wretch at what he was sensing from the Novice.

The Reality Stone had made a mess of her mind. It had opened up her magical senses, worming its way into her consciousness and co-opting her imagination for its own purposes.

Oh, it wasn't sentient. Not in that way. No, what the Reality Stone did was change a person's own sense of reality, into something more attuned to what it had been enchanted, and that way the poor victim of its touch would think they were acting on their own, when in fact they were being egged on by the magic within the stone.

Somehow, Ruby Hale had taken the stone into herself. Ianto wasn't at all sure how she'd done it, but it was overwhelming her mind with its power. Poor girl, she was being shattered beyond fixing, and the stone was running rampant, tricking her into opening portals to various alternate realities in order to protect itself, when all Ruby had wanted to do was protect her mother.

It had struck at Phil first. Because he had attempted to bring Catherine and Ruby Hale to justice, and Ruby had acted in defense of her mother. It was plain, all there in Ruby's memories…including Loki prompting her to touch the stone, to become what she'd been promised.

There had been papers left behind at Hydra's house in Golden Gate, and in them was a mention of the Destroyer of Worlds. It seemed as if Alexander Pierce and Daniel Whitehall had planned for that to be Novice Ruby, by using the Void Point that Pierce had twisted to his own will and creating their own champion. Oh, Ruby wouldn't have been this Deathless they'd wanted to bring into being, but she would have been just as dangerous.

When Phil had closed the Void Point and Hydra had been forced to flee, any destiny that Ruby had believed she'd had had been lost. Loki's words had convinced her that touching the Reality Stone would regain that destiny for her, and the impetus of Phil pronouncing judgement on her mother had convinced Ruby that the mad Asgardian had been correct.

It was destroying her own mind in the process.

He could see it all, even though he wasn't one for mind reading. The only Wizard he'd ever met with that particular gift had been Charles Xavier, and Charles was gone. Ianto missed his friend, although he'd had a good life despite being forced to stay away from the man he'd loved.

It was as if the Reality Stone was showing him. And perhaps that was the case; after all, the other stones had done the same thing, when he'd touched them. Now that it was a part of Ruby Hale, touching the young woman was like touching the stone, and it was giving his magic the chance to get a really good look.

"What do you see?" Stephen's soft voice cut into Ianto's concentration.

He glanced up; Stephen was keeping the girl from hurting herself in her thrashing, holding her down with one hand on her unwounded shoulder and the other on her waist. His eyes were worried, and Ianto couldn't blame him although he couldn't tell what that worry was for.

"I don't think we'll be able to save her mind," he answered sadly. "But we have to get the Reality Stone out of her. It's bonded to her in some way, and it quite frankly doesn't like me much. It's fighting my efforts to get it to come out."

Ianto thought it must have been because he was so more mentally powerful than Ruby was, and thus would have been harder to control. It wasn't that the stone was aware of that, it was the nature of the enchantment that was the driving force behind the chaos the Artifact was causing.

"It's twisting her need to save her mother to get her to act by opening all these portals," he went on.

"How are we going to get it to come out?"

Ianto was gratified that his friend was there to help. "We need to get it out and back into that." He jerked his chin toward the black boulder that had taken up space in the village's green…which wasn't very green, as nothing had grown up around the place where the stone had been. "Then we can move it somewhere secure. This stone is like the others, and it shouldn't exist."

After they got Phil and Crystal back, first. Ianto would have to figure out a way to track their magical signatures; neither the stone nor Ruby had really paid any attention to where they were being sent, more concerned about saving Catherine than anything else. He had hope that, once the stone was clear of Ruby's now-fractured mind, that he would be able to work with it enough to get them back.

"Having all of reality in her head has damaged Ruby," he went on. "But her mind is what's affecting a lot of what the stone is doing. If I hope to retrieve Phil and Crystal…"

"So they've been sent to another reality?"

Ianto nodded. "We need to get the portals shut down, as well. I'm certainly going to need your help."

"Is there anything that I may do to aid you?" Thor inquired.

The Prince had just pummeled a demon into a greasy smear on the dirt. Ianto was grossed out and impressed at the same time. "No, I'm afraid not." He didn't add that he really wished he had a powerful Void with them, but with Phil gone, there really wasn't anyone that he could really trust with knowing what they all knew about the stones.

"If her mind is truly gone," the Asgardian said, sounding almost diffident, "then would it not be a mercy to let her go?"

It took Ianto a moment to parse what he was saying.

Then he sighed.

Yes, perhaps it would have been a mercy to just let Ruby die, but Ianto just didn't have it in him to do that. If only Barney's shot had been a killing shot…but he'd disappeared, and Ianto couldn't ask if he'd purposely hit her in the shoulder or had missed his shot. After all, he couldn't be Clint, who had such preternatural aim…

She was going to have to be cared for, for the rest of her life, and there would be no coming back from this for her. A part of Ianto wanted nothing more than to curse Loki for what he'd done to her but, at the same time, he couldn't have known what would happen when he'd done his best to convince Ruby to try what she had. Hydra had also indoctrinated her, making her believe in this destiny they wanted to force upon her, and all the Cardinal Wizard wanted to do was get them all in the same room and put them under the same curse that Ruby was now under. They'd all ruined this poor youngster, it was an evil thing to do, and for one of the very few times in his life Ianto _really_ wanted to kill someone.

And, to be honest, the easiest way to get the Reality Stone out of her was to let her die. But it wasn't something that Ianto was willing to do. Not to her. She might have drunk the Hydra wine, but she was just a child, who had been influenced by her mother, the one person who should have had her best interests at heart.

No. If no one else was going to look after Ruby, then damnit…Ianto was going to.

"I'll need you to ground me," Ianto glanced at Stephen. "With all these realities running through Ruby's head, I'm bound to get lost." It would have been best if Jack had done it, but he was busy in the battle that was still raging around them. He couldn't distract his husband from that.

Stephen nodded. They'd worked together before and, despite their magic being different, Ianto trusted his friend to have his back. Stephen was a very powerful Wizard, was Great Champion – as far as Ianto was concerned, and he knew Phil felt the same way – and was capable of keeping Ianto from getting lost.

"If it fights you too much," Stephen said delicately, "we may have to wait and try something else." What that something else was, he didn't say.

Which Ianto took to mean he had less of a clue than Ianto himself did.

"I'm not sure there's anything we _can_ try." Ianto didn't want to admit it, but there it was. Other than killing Ruby Hale outright, there might not be anything else they could do but to risk Ianto's own sanity in order to get the Reality Stone out of her body. He could only hope that it didn't come to that. Jack would be very displeased.

Ianto wouldn't be too happy about it, either.

Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed into his side, and the Wizard gasped, leaning over Ruby's body in an attempt to cradle himself against the sensation. He gasped, hollowness flooding his heart, and he understood immediately what had just happened.

"Jack died."

As much as Ianto loved the idea that a soul bond had grown up between the two of them, it also meant that he would always feel when his husband was killed. Ianto hated it when Jack died, even though he would always come back due to his Deathlessness, and this time it was worse because he didn't dare leave Ruby to go and sit with him until he revived. Knowing Jack, he'd put himself in harms' way in order to save someone else and, since the last person he'd noticed Jack with had been Steve, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that this was who Jack had just given yet another of his lives for.

Stephen's hand rested comfortingly on his shoulder; his friend, while not having first-hand experience of Jack's death and resurrection happenings, did understand just what it meant to Ianto for it to occur. The tingle of Stephen's magic also helped ground him, and he took a deep breath past the emptiness and, giving him an acknowledging nod, turned back to this poor child who'd become a victim of an Artifact that should never have been created in the first place.

Flinging open his magic once more, Ianto let himself _see_ the stone, opening himself up to its power.

This was his blessing as a Catalyst for Artifacts, but it was also the biggest curse he'd ever been granted. In ways, it was even worse than knowing when Jack died, and not being able to do anything about it.

When he'd been a young Archivist, knowing that he had magic – when so many others didn't – had been a source of pride. He'd become the youngest Master Archivist ever for Torchwood Castle, and believed that was how he would spend the rest of his life.

He'd come to learn quite quickly that knowing he could activate Artifacts and use them sometimes wasn't the best thing to do. The problem was, he could never know until he'd actually done it, if it was bad or good.

In this case…it was to save a young woman, who really couldn't be saved.

He was going to do it anyway.

The Reality Stone was, perhaps, the worst of all the stones he'd touched so far. The others had been limited, in a way, as they could only access certain aspects of the world: souls, and the mind, and all of space. However, reality wasn't relegated to just this universe; it was _all_ universes, and across those Ianto's mind was tugged, showing him worlds he couldn't have even dreamed of, glimpses of impossibilities that were terrifying and amazing all at once.

He saw so many different versions of himself, human and creature and immortal and metal and living machine and so many he simply did not understand. They were sad and lonely and ecstatically happy and normal and had family and friends and death surrounded him and oddities he couldn't identify yet felt he should know. He had been Ianto and Ifan and Iohannes and names that were odd and beautiful.

And, in many of those realities, there was Jack.

They were lovers and friends and enemies and rivals and every sort of connotation there was. In some, Jack was Deathless; in others, he was mortal. He was Jack and John and James and Javic and Jamys and so many other names, names he'd adopted or been born with or had been cursed with.

Ianto wanted to scream and weep and laugh and stay to watch these other versions of him and Jack, and knew that he could not. That he had his own life now, and his own Jack, and that would always be enough. He would never change it for any of these others, no matter how seductive their lives were to him.

And, with that thought, the Wizard felt Jack come back to life, his presence warming the coldness that had grown when his husband had died.

He would remain Ianto Jones, Master Archivist, Grand Master of Cardinal Order, Cardinal Champion, teacher, husband, lover, father, friend, confidante…everything that he was now, and would be in the future.

Ruby's insecurities and need to protect her mother were feeding the Reality Stone, and that combination was what was causing the portals to other realities. Ruby might not have known about any of the creatures that were being drawn through, but her own imagination as to what she considered powerful and destructive were fueling the search. Surprisingly, so far she had managed to find only those creatures who were mindless and wouldn't be missed; however, it would only be a matter of time before an intelligent creature was dragged into this, and Ianto would need to find the way to send it back, as well as needing to locate his lost friend and the child who had adopted Ianto as an uncle.

But first, he needed to make certain the portals were shut down.

The Reality Stone fought him. Ianto was fairly positive it was a throwback to Ruby's own protective instincts and need to prove that she was more powerful than she actually was. Hydra had done an excellent job in its indoctrination of her, and Ianto would have been impressed if he wasn't so very damned sorry that no one had caught onto Hydra's shenanigans before they'd approached Phil in order to convince him to join them.

Alexander Pierce had done an excellent job in hiding his extracurricular activities from both his Order and the Guild. Being tossed into the Void really was too good for him. He could only hope the Void would make the punishment fit the crimes he'd committed.

Including convincing this child that she was destined for something she would never be able to accomplish.

Even this deep within his magic, Ianto could feel his head pounding and his heart beating fit to burst. He opened himself up even more to the Deep Ways, letting that primal force strengthen him, build him back up and supplement his own abilities. He would need the help if he was going to complete the task he'd set out for himself.

He did have help, though.

The Void that was a part of Ruby Hale did not care at all for the intrusion of the Reality Stone, and was trying to fight back as well. It roiled within her, actually calling to Ianto and twining about his own magic. It reminded him of the time he'd faced down an attack with the help of the Void, through his old friend, Suzie Costello, and he thanked it silently even as the Deep Ways welcomed the magical touch, even if it was opposite of itself.

In this case, the Void wanted itself and its vessel freed from the overpowering realities that were warring within the Novice.

He concentrated on the stone, realizing there was something wrong with it. Not that it was _wrong_, any more than its existence was wrong, but that it was broken, had been broken by something far in the distant past. It had been _melted_, which was how it was able to trap itself within Ruby Hale, and Ianto could feel the magical Contamination of the black rock next to him, that it had been the stone's 'prison' for thousands of years. If he could get the original vessel to call to the stone…to make that contamination stronger than what was already affecting Ruby's body…

He pulled himself back out of his magical meditation in order to speak to Stephen. He was going to need help from his friend in order to put his plan into effect.

Stephen was crouching next to him, but he was no longer alone; Jack was sitting with him, blood staining his armor and yet he was fine and smiling at Ianto as soon as he must have noticed he was being stared at. Myfanwy was staring over Jack's shoulder, her green eyes whirling in concern.

"What can we do to help?" his husband asked softly.

He explained about what he'd felt, and how he wanted to attract the Reality Stone out of its victim. Stephen was nodding as he quickly grasped the notion. "I'll see about boosting the Contamination." He squeezed Ianto's shoulder as he stood, moving toward the rock that had been the housing for the stone, however it had gotten there. Ianto glanced at it, noting the cracks and fissures that lined the glassy surface, knowing immediately that this was where the gemstone had been visible. They needed to get it back inside, and it needed to be done as soon as possible. Ruby was fading, and the arrow still sticking out of her shoulder wasn't helping. Oh, he didn't blame Barney Barton for shooting her when Ianto's own magic hadn't been doing a damned thing to bring her down.

Still, Ruby would die if they didn't get the Reality Stone out of her, even if it meant her mind was destroyed.

Already, at the edges of his own mind, Ianto could sense that the stone was nibbling away at his resolve. This time, it was Ianto's own sense of curiosity that was being exploited. He said as much to Jack, reaching out with one hand to grasp his husband's.

"But you've learned that untempered curiosity is sometimes worse than all the best intentions," Jack reminded him. "You've seen what that can do to a person. You're stronger than that Artifact, Ianto, and you'll win in the end."

If Ianto hadn't already loved Jack with everything in his soul, that statement would have tipped him right over the edge.

"How's the fighting?" He hadn't been able to follow the battle at all, not with all of his concentration on the Reality Stone.

"The portals closed up not long ago, and everyone else is mopping up, and I sent Prince Thor to help. We have Catherine Hale in custody; she's in a bad way, it looks like Phil had been giving her the John Garrett treatment when he was interrupted. She wanted to come and see her daughter, but we told her she couldn't, not yet."

Ianto nodded. "The Reality Stone would have sought her out and, in her weakened state, it could very well have left Ruby and taken her over. Ruby's close to burning out, Jack. We don't have much time."

He was sincerely glad that he'd somehow managed to shut down the portals, at least no more of those poor creatures would be pulled out of their own realities and into their own.

"You think you can find Phil and Crystal?"

Ianto sighed. "I hope so." They needed to find them; there was no telling what sort of reality they'd ended up in. He was very much afraid it would have been one without magic, and that both would be cut off from the Void. If that happened…

He didn't want to consider that thought.

"We also might need to find a way home for at least one of the beings that were pulled through the portals," Jack added. His expression was somewhere between gobsmacked and bemused. "Ruby didn't differentiate between creatures and sentient beings."

"I was afraid of that." He could only hope to be able to control the stone once it was back within its original housing.

"Ianto," Stephen called.

He looked up. His friend was resting both hands on the boulder, his eyes glimmering with his own personal magic. "You can do it?"

"Yes. I can boost the magical Contamination so that it calls to the Reality Stone. But you'll have to guide it. We can't risk it getting loose and taking up residence in someone else."

That hadn't needed to be said; but Ianto knew that Stephen was giving him a final out, if he thought he wouldn't be able to handle what he needed to do in order to get the stone back to its original place within the rock.

He appreciated it, he really did. However, there was no way he was going to take it.

He nodded. Then, without a second thought, he dove back into the morass of the Reality Stone, doing his best to force it back to where it belonged.


	69. Chapter 69

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Sixty-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint didn't consider himself the nervous type.

He'd been known to face down opponents bigger than him, with nothing more than a knife and a quip. He could sit in a sniper's nest for hours at a time, waiting to take the perfect shot. He could brag that his hands didn't shake, that his heart didn't go into palpitations, that he didn't twitch when faced with surprises he hadn't planned for. There was a damned good reason the Hawk had the reputation he did, and Clint was fucking _proud_ of that reputation…even if he hadn't gotten it in the best way.

But, in that moment, he was scared shitless.

The thing was, with the building completely closed in like it was, with no windows and only the one door, the Elf wasn't able to see just what had landed on the roof. It had to have been heavy to have shifted the entire building, and there were enough things out there at the moment that literally anything could have done it.

The solid stone walls were also muffling the noises of battle, and usually Clint would have considered that a good thing. The kids didn't need to be even more terrified than they already were, and all the growling and roaring would've just freaked them out more.

But it also meant Clint was pretty well deaf to everything, and that didn't sit well with him.

He glanced over at Daisy; all the kids were grouped around her, pressed together under the Shield she'd put up. However, Clint could tell that she was tiring, the edges of the spell where they touched the floor frayed slightly and worn a bit. His daughter was a powerful young woman, but even she had limits.

The archer had no idea how long he'd stood in the center of the room, arrow on the string and aimed toward the doorway. Whatever had been on the roof had either gone completely still, or had left, and he wasn't sure which one he preferred. Was it sitting in wait, for someone to poke their head out the door, and then to pounce?

Adrenaline skidded through his veins, making his heart jump. Clint took deep breaths, trying to calm himself, and yet he knew he needed to be ready for anything that might happen. He wasn't about to let anyone harm the kids, and he would keep himself between them and any danger that might come knocking.

His thoughts also slid toward Phil and Crystal, wondering where they were. Daisy had said they'd vanished, but how? Some sort of Teleport spell? He didn't think Ruby was that strong, not from the research Phil had done. Maybe it was some sort of Artifact that had done the deed. That seemed most likely, mainly due to all the weird portals and the creatures that were coming through them. They weren't like Stephen's Portal spell; these were tinged in red, and seemed more to spit things through than letting them just walk past the opening. This was more…slapdash. Yes, that was it. These portals were random, unless there was some sort of control Clint couldn't see. He honestly didn't think Ruby Hale had that sort of power.

Yes, the more he considered it, the more he believed she'd gotten a hold of some sort of Artifact. Ianto and Stephen were going to have their work cut out for them, he was certain.

Then, they were going to use whatever Artifact it was to bring Phil and Crystal home. Clint had a few choice words to his fiancé about going off on his own…again. Maybe this time Phil will have learned his lesson. Gods, Clint certainly hoped so!

And, after he yelled at Phil for a bit, he was going to hug him so hard he wouldn't be able to breathe.

He was so focused on the door and his thoughts and the fact that he really wanted to hit something that when a knock came at the door, he just about jumped out of his skin.

It was all he could do not to loose his arrow. Now, that would have been _really_ embarrassing.

Clint made his way to the door, leaning his ear against it. As it was wood, it was a bit less sound muffling than the walls.

"Open the Gods' damned door, Barton," came Nick's unmistakable, _I am putting up with this because there's no way you know any better, _voice.

Stifling the sigh of relief at hearing his old friend on the other side of the door. "There are kids in here," he commented as he threw open the door. "You might want to tone the language down a bit."

Nick rolled his single eye. "Of course there are." He looked a mess, with his cloak torn a little at the hem and blood spattered on his armor. Otherwise, he seemed to be uninjured, which was a good thing.

"Uncle Nick!" Daisy barreled past Clint to throw herself at Nick, heedless of the spots of gore.

He wrapped his own arms around her, the relief in his face palpable. "Why you gotta always get into trouble?" he asked into her hair.

"Dad and Crystal are gone." She clung to him, as if he could solve every problem. Clint kinda wished he could do the same.

"I know," Nick answered, looking at Clint over her head. "We're working on getting them back."

"Do we know what happened?" the Elf wanted to know.

"Not the details. But Jack says it's some sort of ancient Artifact called a Reality Stone, and Ianto and Stephen were given fits trying to get it to stop whatever it was doing. But the portals are closed and no more surprises should be coming through from other worlds."

Other worlds. Did that mean…?

Nick nodded, knowing exactly what Clint had just thought.

Shit.

How the hells were they going to find Phil and Crystal if they were in another reality?

His heart sank. It seemed impossible.

The Elf might not have been overly religious, but he did know his Tenets. About how the Gods had created the Heavens and the Hells, and the worlds in between. Not only were there worlds beyond theirs, there were also entire universes beyond this one. How could they possibly find Phil and Crystal in all _that_?

Lucky, sensing his distress, cooed a little and leaned against him. Clint rested his hand on his dragon's head, accepting the comfort and knowing that Lucky understood just what the archer was going through. He loved Lola and Lockjaw as much as Clint loved their companions, and would want them back just as badly.

Nick moved Daisy away gently. "Wanna tell me what's going on here?"

As Daisy explained, Clint ducked past them and out into the open. The village had just about been destroyed, buildings burning and wrecked almost beyond repair. Large chunks of earth had been blasted out of the ground, and the bodies of various sorts of creatures lay scattered all about the place.

Clint hoped they could get things taken care of and then get out of here before the corpses begun to stink and the carrion animals showed up to take care of business.

And there was an enormous green dragon seated on its haunches close by, speaking to Maria, Iliad at her side, with Barney standing off a little ways, his arms crossed and looking pissed off, blood running from a wound on his neck, and another through a rip in his trousers. He looked unharmed, other than those two relatively minor-looking injuries. Clint was surprisingly relieved at that.

The dragon was bigger than Idris. And it was speaking. Actually _talking_, not like Idris had talked to him in his head, but out loud. Plus there was some sort of creature being pinned under one enormous claw, and it seemed to find the whole idea of being stood on by a dragon quite hilarious.

"You cannot destroy me," it was chuckling. Its voice sounded weird. "We shall come back in all our numbers and take this planet, as we have many others."

"They are quite pernicious," the dragon was ignoring the ranting thing under its foot, voice obviously male and sounding suspiciously like Ianto except for deeper and rumbling. "I'm not certain what sort of magic you can use to disable or destroy it, and I would it rather not get sent back to wherever it was dragged from. I wouldn't want word of your world getting back to their cell."

Maria considered. "We can try a Disintegration Spell. That might get through the Shielding."

"Perhaps." The dragon's eyes met Clint's, and the widened almost comically. "Ah. Clint Barton, I presume?"

Clint was startled that this dragon knew him; but then, Idris had, as well. "That's me," he confirmed.

"I apologize for my surprise. It's just that you look exactly like my world's Clint Barton, only not Elven. I assume you _are_ Elven…"

Oh…alright. That's not strange _at all_. "Yeah. I am."

"I _told_ you my brother was in there," Barney said peevishly.

"You did," the dragon allowed, "however, I was ordered to protect that building, and I could not risk letting in an enemy. And, as I have just said, my Clint Barton isn't Elven. You are. You can see my dilemma."

"And yet you let Baron Nick in."

"Because, if that man is anything like the Nick Fury of my world, a mere dragon would not have been able to stop him."

Maria laughed. "This is so crazy."

"How do you think I feel?" the dragon returned.

Lucky, who was blasting both confusion and excitement directly into Clint's brain, launched himself into the air and came to land squarely on the giant dragon's shoulder, chattering at his new acquaintance happily.

The dragon spoke to Lucky in a rumbling language that sounded almost like there was a landslide somewhere nearby. Iliad perked up immediately, and joined in on the conversation. The big guy looked overjoyed, and settled down to converse with his smaller kin, the weird man-shaped thing under his claw still rambling about destruction and that sort of crap.

"That is so amazing."

Clint glanced down at Daisy, who had come out of the schoolhouse to stand next to him. Skye had launched herself off her Wizard's shoulders and joined the confab going on, and it was only moments later that a bunch of other dragons had done the same, taking up places along the strange dragon's back and head and making their own additions to the conversation. It must have been all the dragons in the valley, with the conspicuous absences by Myfanwy and Agamotto, who were still with their Wizards.

Ianto and Stephen were by an odd black stone, Jack by Ianto's side while Stephen was leaning both hands on that rock. Ruby Hale was cradled in Ianto's lap and, as Clint watched, a red mist rose from the Hydra Novice and settled over the stone. He could see that red lines of crystal had formed in the cracks in the rock, and just knew that this was the Artifact that had caused such havoc and had sent Phil and Crystal Gods knew where.

"He got pulled here from his own world," Maria explained, walking toward them. "We're hoping Ianto can figure out the Reality Stone and get him back where he belongs."

So, it _had_ been the Reality Stone.

Oh Gods. He could have spent the rest of his life without finding another of those damned things.

Sure, Clint had known there were others. The UnEarthly Child – well, Ashildr, really – had told Jack as much with her mysterious card reading, and he'd shared that information with the class, so to speak. But he really hadn't expected to find another one so soon.

"Yeah," she commiserated. "I've just learned about the stones, and I'm already disgusted with the whole thing."

She didn't seem overly upset about being kept in the dark about a set of all-powerful Artifacts existing out there in the world, but then she'd mellowed quite a bit lately. Maria Hill would never be Clint's favorite person, but he was warming to her.

The others were busily mopping up. Once the portals had closed, the numbers of creatures wouldn't have been replenished, so it would have been a simple matter to round them all up. It had been left to the rest of the team to do that, and it seemed as if a couple of them were having way too much fun at it, especially Baron Tony, who was able to hover over the mess and shoot at random monsters; Old Man Carson had once called it like shooting fish in a barrel, which Clint never had quite understood but now kinda got. Seeing that large green monster that was obviously Dr. Banner was a shock; he might have grown to the size of a troll and turned a different color, but those were still the magical theorist's features grinning like he'd been given all his Naming Day presents at once as he slammed an enormous fist into the head of a beast trying to bite him. And Prince Thor was busily doing something to this enormous beast with a lot of antlers…wait, was he cutting of the thing's _head_? What the _hells_?

"Do you think Ianto and Stephen will be able to find Dad and Crystal?" Daisy asked worriedly.

Attention pulled away from the organized chaos around them, Clint put an arm around her, and she gratefully accepted the comfort. "If anyone can, it's those two."

"I'm gonna need to contact the Council of Barons about these kids," Nick commented. Clint turned, and had to stifle a laugh at his old friend surrounded by nearly two dozen children of varying ages, looking as if he was some sort of mother goose ushering her young toward the nearest pond. Most of the youngsters were staring in awe at the really huge dragon who was currently monopolizing every other dragon in the valley, having a lively conversation with them all, his expression indulgent and just a little bit sad.

Clint wondered what was up with that sadness. He was almost afraid to ask.

"We don't want to go anywhere," one of the older boys spoke up. "Mistress Jiaying takes care of us."

"Well," Nick said, "Mistress Jiaying is in a bit of trouble, so I doubt she's gonna be able to take care of herself for a while, let alone all of you."

Most of the kids didn't look happy about that. It brought to mind Daisy's comment about this being some sort of cult, and Clint could certainly see the indoctrination in these poor, abandoned, children. Of course they'd want to stay, even if their homes had been wrecked by a kid barely older than themselves, because she'd gotten her hands on an Artifact that, in his opinion, should never have been created in the first place.

Medusa, though, was edging a little away from the group, and toward where Daisy and Clint were standing. "Did you mean what you said?" she asked, sounding almost timid.

Clint knew immediately what she was asking. "Yes, I did. We'd been searching for you and if we'd found you, we were going to bring you home with us."

Daisy looked really happy about that, which was a good thing. Well, she was already a good big sister to Crystal, do having another little one to dote on was only going to send her to the moons and back. Clint was aware this might delay his and Phil having their own, flesh and bone child, but he was willing to wait. It wasn't something they would need to rush into.

That was, if they got Phil back.

No, he couldn't afford to doubt. Ianto and Stephen would do what they could and, hopefully, it wouldn't be too long before the rest of their family was home and safe.

"I…think I might like that," Medusa admitted quietly. She tugged at a lock of her wild red hair. "I've only ever had a home here, though. I don't know what it's like to have parents."

"I didn't either," Daisy told her. "But we worked everything out."

"You should hate me. I led you here, and look what happened." Medusa looked as if she was about to cry.

"Hey." Daisy knelt in front of her. "None of this is your fault. You thought you were doing the right thing, because you trusted the adults around you. You couldn't have known what was going to happen."

"You have no right."

Clint wanted to roll his eyes at the woman as Mistress Jiaying approached. She looked a little worse for wear, but had apparently escaped the fight unscathed. There was still something off about her, but he just couldn't put a finger on what it was. It would have been more apparent to Daisy, she'd said that the woman's magic was _wrong_, and the Elf believed her.

"Well," the dragon spoke, breaking away from the lively conversation he'd been involved in, "you are not what you appear to be at all." His cat-like eyes were calculating as they took in Jiaying, standing there, belligerent and feral.

Jiaying didn't even flinch when the enormous creature spoke to her. "You have come into my home, disturbed my children, and then ran amok and destroyed everything. Just go, and leave us in peace." Then she looked at Daisy, and Clint didn't care for the expression in her eyes. "You can stay, though," she practically purred. "I'm your mother, and we should be together now."

Daisy snorted. "No way. I don't know you, and we didn't really do a thing but react to the mess you made by having that _thing_," she waved toward the stone, "here in the first place. You should never have screwed around with it. It's too powerful to just leave lying around like you did, and everyone here was put in danger because you just had to make your deal with Hydra."

"You are my flesh and blood," the woman snapped. Then she seemed to regain control over herself, her tone soft and accommodating. "You can stay here, and we'll get to know each other, like we should have before your father stole you from me."

"I really do think it's young Daisy's decision whether she stays or goes," the dragon pointed out reasonably. "And, if you attempt to force the issue, I am quite sure she has many defenders who will fight for her right to choose."

"Damn right she does," James stepped up. His leather armor as spattered with blood, and there was a messy-looking cut at his hairline, but otherwise he seemed to be alright. He was flanked by Natasha and Melinda; Nat nodded at him when his eyes met hers, letting him know that she was, also, unhurt. Yes, there were visible bruises, but it would take much more than that to put the Widow down. Melinda seemed to be favoring her left arm, but this was Melinda May, and Clint knew her well enough that a little hurt like that wouldn't keep her from kicking more ass as needed.

"Uncle James." Daisy was hugging him to within an inch of his life.

James chuckled, very pleased by her unabashed acceptance of him. "Yeah, you stood up for me, and now it's my turn."

Then he glared over her head and right at Jiaying. "Back off, lady. I don't like it when someone upsets my niece like that. I don't care who you think you are."

That had Nick laughing. "Good to have another uncle to keep Daisy in check. She's quite the handful."

"I think I figured that out."

Daisy joined in on the laughter. Clint was glad that she'd managed to adopt all these people into her life, and into the lives of her Dads.

She would need all that support if…

No, that was an outcome he wouldn't even contemplate.

Besides, he had a destiny to consider, and there was no way he would do it if it meant Phil wasn't found. It wouldn't be worth it to become immortal if the reason for it wasn't by his side.


	70. Chapter 70

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Once the portals were closed, it became a lot easier to get things under control.

Tony had taken several pretty hard hits, but the armor seemed to be doing its job in protecting his vulnerable flesh from too much damage. Sure, he was gonna be bruised, and Pepper was going to be give him so much grief for it before calling in a healer to make sure it wasn't anything permanent, but his wife was a worrier and had the power to back up her threats, especially the ones that had to do with withholding sex.

Tony loved her for it. He really did.

It had been his first time in real combat, and to the truthful he'd been terrified. Not that he'd shown it, of course. He didn't want anyone else kicking monster ass to know just how scared he'd been. He hadn't really recognized any of the creatures that had come through the portals, and that had made it worse. If he'd been able to identify them, maybe it would have calmed his nerves a little, but that hadn't been the case at all.

Also, he made a mental note that, if the team did keep fighting together, they needed to come up with some sort of communications, so that they would always be able to give and receive intel from the actual fighting. Tony had had to rely on his eyes to tell him things, and he was pretty certain if he'd had a way to call out warnings he could have saved his compatriots a few of the bruises they must have gotten as well. Being an eye in the sky would be a great advantage in their next mission.

There had also been improvements in the armor he'd thought of as he was bobbing and weaving above the valley floor. That one actuator had worked a treat, but the other had been a little lagging. He would have to take it apart as well, and make the upgrades he had to the first one. He also needed to come up with a different way to hover, because it tied up his hand repulsors a little too much as it was now. He and Bruce could work on the logistics as soon as they got back to Ferrous Castle.

Speaking of Bruce…

Damn, those curses were something else.

He was going to have to ask his friend just how he'd managed to kick them off like he had. The giant green rage monster that had appeared in Bruce's place had been impressive, and he could admit he was a fan. However, in the back of his mind was the reminder that they'd been so much worse before Ianto had gotten in there and removed the bad parts, like the Forgetfulness and Mindlessness parts, because Bruce, while pummeling some serious ass out on the battlefield, had seemed to be pretty much in control. He didn't know if Bruce intended on keeping these new fancy abilities, but they'd certainly be a fantastic asset to have on their side.

There was gonna be some hells of a clean-up to do, but at least they seemed to have won the day, once Ianto and Stephen had taken care of Portal Girl and had stopped the monsters from showing up. It could have been so much worse, and he tossed a prayer up to the Gods in thanks for bringing them all through things just fine.

He carefully touched down, although Tony did stumble a little once the repulsors kicked out. Everyone seemed to be gathering around the massive green dragon, who had managed to corral nearly every single dragon around into its own personal entourage, and was calmly speaking to them and the people standing around while holding down what appeared to be some sort of homicidal maniac with a sword welded to his arm.

Yeah, that wasn't pleasant to look at.

As he pretended that his stumble was completely on purpose, Steve arrived, followed by Bruce in his new form. James and the Terror Twins – Natasha and Phil's Steward – were already there, Daisy tucked in against James' side and looking as if she was ready to spit glass shards. All that anger was aimed at this older woman who had the ickiest scars ever, and Tony had to wonder just how she'd taken that much damage and survived.

The only people not there were Ianto and Stephen, who were still busy doing whatever it was they were doing with the weird black rock in the exact center of the village; Jack, who was with Ianto…which, of course he was; and the Prince of Asgard, who was doing something to one of the monsters and Tony didn't really want to know.

"So," he drawled, removing the helmet and shaking out his sweaty hair, "we're not smiting the dragon, then."

The dragon smirked. Actually _smirked_. "I would appreciate it if there was no smiting involved, yes."

It was really strange hearing a dragon actually speaking. Being around Happy meant that Tony was aware that dragons could communicate with one another, and to their Wizards through their bond, but this was the first time ever he'd heard words that he could really understand coming from an honest to Gods dragon.

"He's pretty much a victim here," Mistress Maria pointed out. "He just wants to go home, which is a different reality than ours. Although we should really figure out a way to deal with the creature he has pinned first."

Tony regarded it. "And why can't we just kill it?" The slurs it was spouting were beginning to get on his nerves.

"It has a shield about it," the dragon explained. It was a little difficult to take him seriously with a dragon perched on his snout. And why did he sound like Ianto? "That shield makes it impervious to physical harm."

"I was thinking a Disintegration spell," Mistress Maria replied. "But I don't have one handy, so…"

"What about Brainfire?" Daisy asked.

The Great Wizard considered. "Maybe. But I don't have one of those, either."

"Um…" Daisy looked a little embarrassed.

Clint was staring at her. "Where in the hells did you get a Brainfire spell from, young lady?" He had his arms crossed and was practically tapping his foot in parental disapproval.

Tony knew all about parental disapproval, although he could totally get why Clint was aiming it in Mini Pepper's direction. Brainfire spells were nasty things, and he would have believed them far beyond Daisy's current level of study. "I am so telling Pepper on you," he teased. He couldn't help himself.

"Look," she stood a little straighter, "after Hydra kidnapped me that second time, I decided I wanted to know how to defend myself. So, I got into one of Dad's _gramariya_ and taught myself. I only used it for the first time today, and it seemed to work…if a little overpowered. I…blew up a monster's head with it. It was pretty gross."

Alright, that was pretty damned awesome. Now Tony was determined to let Pepper know, just so she could share in the horror and pride that the Baron himself was feeling.

"When we get your Dad back," Clint growled, "he is going to want to have words with you about this."

Daisy's shoulders slumped then, but she didn't look overly cowed. "I know. I just want Dad back so he can yell at me."

"In the meantime," James cut off any sort of telling off before it could start, "we have a Brainfire spell. I think we should use it, because that thing is getting on my very last nerve."

Clint looked like he wanted to argue, but he was physically biting his tongue. Tony could tell. But he couldn't blame him for being upset. After all, Daisy was his kid, even though it hadn't been for long, and even he could tell that the Elf adored her almost as much as the man who'd been her father for far longer did.

"You've learned a Brainfire spell?" the woman with the icky scars breathed in apparent awe. "I knew you would be powerful…"

"Shut up," Daisy snapped. "You stay out of this."

"I am your mother, and I have every right to be involved."

"You gave up that right when you gave me up."

Oh, shit.

Daisy hadn't really talked that much about her birth parents. As far as Tony knew, she'd never even seen them before; she'd been abandoned as a baby. Pepper has once confided that Daisy hadn't really had any desire to look for them, except for a short time when she'd been younger, and had always been perfectly happy with Phil as her father; she hadn't needed anyone else. To Tony's albeit biased eye, Phil Coulson was an awesome Dad and he loved Daisy so much it was practically a visible cloud of adoration that floated around him constantly.

It was a little sickening. Tony wanted that sort of sickening for himself someday.

The woman's dark eyes wanted to look sad, but Tony could tell there was something else in them that was actually keeping her from feeling that sort of thing. "I told you, I didn't give you up. Your birth father stole you from me. I searched for you, but wasn't able to find you."

"You were able to find all these other kids." She waved toward the group of tykes that were hovering around Baron Nick…or, rather, he was hovering around _them_, which was pretty damned impressive for one person to be able to hover like that. "I don't see why you weren't able to locate your only daughter."

There was a story here, and Tony desperately wanted to know what it was. It took every bit of self-control he had – which wasn't very much, he had on excellent authority…Pepper's – to keep from blurting out every single question he had.

There were questions about Daisy, and her mother…and all these kids, who were obviously Wizards. Where had they all come from? What had happened to bring them here, to this Gods' forsaken valley in Barony Olympia, and not have them at home with their own parents?

He was pretty sure he wasn't going to like the answer to _that_ one. Not after what had happened to little Crystal.

Nick, though, must have known some of what he was thinking, because he said, "It's Baronial and Guild business, Stark. There's gonna have to be some laws made up about this sh…stuff."

And yes, it was funny as any hell that Nick Gods' Damned Fury just censored himself.

At the same time it was damned tragic because what he'd assumed about those kids was _correct_.

It always amazed and sickened Tony that people could be so cruel, even though he'd lived with that sort of cruelty in a way. He wasn't counting his father; Howard had been a bastard and absent, but he'd never tossed Tony out on his ass just because he didn't like the fact that his son wasn't the Wizard that he'd been hoping for. No, Howard hadn't really been all that cruel…just not there for Tony when he'd needed a father.

Some people might consider that a cruelty, but not Tony. Cruelty had been when parents had tossed their daughter under a gazebo to live off the scraps her dragon could steal for them.

Now, Obadiah…_that_ asshole had been cruel. He'd made Tony believe that he'd loved him like the son Howard should have, and then had tried to have him murdered when he'd come up with the idea that Tony had been after the Barony, and would out all of Obie's schemes. And Tony wouldn't even have known it was Obie if the kidnappers hadn't decided to go along with the plan and had kept Tony alive in that damned cave, just because they'd wanted him to make a weapon they could use against Wizards.

These children…they'd been thrown out like so much garbage, and the Baron didn't even need to be magical to understand that it was because of their particular brand of magic. He was willing to bet that a vast majority of them were Void, since that was how the prejudice swung.

This needed to be fixed. And, to do that, they needed…

"Where's Phil anyway?" he demanded.

Just from the expression on Clint's and Daisy's faces, he knew. They didn't need to say a word out loud.

"Do we know where he was sent?" Tony glanced over to where Ianto and Stephen were, where Jack was supporting his husband and that Hydra girl. Thor was also ambling toward them, his hammer hanging from his belt, looking quite grave even with an enormous bloody head held in one hand by a really massive antler.

"It's not just Dad," Daisy murmured, "it's Crystal, too."

It was Tony's turn to sensor his cursing. He didn't do a very good job of it.

"Perhaps Thor will have some word," the dragon answered.

Steve's eyebrows went up. "There's a version of Thor in your world., too?"

Tony's own eyebrows rose. Was Steve implying what the Baron _thought_ Steve was implying…?

The dragon nodded somberly. "I am familiar with each and every one of you, in my home dimension. Well, except for Barney Barton. Him, I have never met. And the little ones, as well. Dragons and children, both. Although I suspect there are doppelgangers of them as well, just in other forms, that I have yet to meet."

"That is amazing." In this green form, Bruce's voice was deeper and much more intense. "I would love to ask you questions about it –"

"And I would love to answer…is it also Doctor Banner here? Or some other title?"

Bruce looked as surprised as everyone else did, that the strange dragon recognized Bruce despite him being all cursed and everything. "Doctor Banner, yes. I'm a magical theorist."

"Fascinating." The dragon accidentally dislodged a couple of smaller dragons from his head as he nodded in greeting.

"You seem to be accepting this really well." Tony couldn't help but notice that the dragon was, indeed, pretty calm about being stuck – hopefully temporarily – on a world that was different from his own, and yet was probably closer than anyone could guess.

"This has not been the first time I've found myself in an alternate dimension," the dragon admitted. "Also, my job in my universe is dealing with the odd. So, I guess you could say I'm just a bit used to it."

Oh, yeah. Tony wanted to just curl up against this dragon and ask all sorts of questions.

"Greetings, friends," Thor said, coming to stand next to Steve, gore dripping from the neck of that damned severed head. "I have news; however, Ianto and Stephen will know more as soon as they have dealt with Novice Ruby. I was only a witness to part of their labors, and I am certain they will have more to tell than what I know."

"How is she?" Natasha inquired. "Her mother will want to know."

"We have Catherine Hale?" Tony hadn't noticed them taking the last of Hydra into custody; but then, he'd been a little busy fighting the monsters and all.

The Widow nodded. "I've got her tied up over there." She pointed toward what had to have been only the second house in the valley not destroyed by the fighting. It was singed, but looked structurally stable enough to act as a temporary prison.

"Ianto has said that Novice Ruby's mind may have been damaged by the power of the Reality Stone." Thor actually sounded sorry about that, but Tony supposed he could understand. That kid probably hadn't had a chance once her mother started indoctrinating her into the ways of Hydra. "He and Stephen seem to have managed to remove the Artifact and its influence from her body and spirit, and will make certain it is contained appropriately."

"And what about Dad?" Daisy wanted to know. "And Crystal?"

"They were going to attempted to ascertain a way to retrieve Grand Master Phil and young Crystal as soon as the portals were dealt with. I assume that is what they are doing now."

Daisy visibly slumped against James' side; Clint joined her, letting her lean against him as well. The Elf didn't look quite as relieved as Mini Pepper did, but then Tony suspected that he just wasn't the optimistic type his older kid was. Steward Melinda joined them as well, most likely just as worried as they were about the other members of their family despite the fact that she looked utterly stoic. Tony wished he could look like that when faced with crappy news.

And, to his surprise, one of the orphan kids gravitated toward their little huddle, and Clint reached out for her and reeled her into what was quickly becoming a group hug.

"And we need to find a way to send our new friend home." Bruce hooked an enormous thumb over his shoulder toward the dragon, who was nodding.

"I would appreciate that," he answered, glancing over his own shoulder at the smaller dragons who seemed quite happy to cling all over. "I will admit, it has been pleasant to meet these little ones. I thought they were children at first, but no…they are fully grown here. Seeing children again would have been wonderful, but simply knowing that dragons exist in other universes is enough." His eyes were really sad. It made Tony want to hug him, and the Baron really wasn't the hugging type. "I am the Last of my kind on my world. There will never be another dragon born there."

Well, shit.

No, it was just all the dust that had been kicked up by the fighting that was making Tony's eyes water. He was sure it was the same for the others, too.

"You'd be welcome here," Steve offered. "We could use a dragon of your…well, bulk…"

The dragon laughed. "Are you calling me fat, Sir Steve?"

The Knight actually blushed a little. "No. But you know what I mean."

"I do and, while I appreciate the invitation, I do have a mate back home. He worries."

"Your Jack?"

"Yes, indeed. My Jack."

"Hold on." Tony waved his hand, because what Steve had just said had gone right over his head. "Are you saying…" Then he put it together. "There's a good reason you sound like Ianto!"

"Yes, and I would show you my human form…if I did not still have this creature pinned under my claw. We really should do something about it, don't you think?"

"Allow me." Daisy moved toward the wriggling weird human-like thing, kneeling down beside its head.

"You can do nothing to me," it scoffed. "I shall survive your pitiful attempts at destroying me, then I shall make contact with my people and bring them here, where we shall take over this world and make it our own!"

Well, _that_ wasn't ominous…

"You might not want to be touching it when I cast the spell," she looked up at the dragon. "My control isn't all that great."

"I trust you, Daisy," he answered honestly. "Just as I trust the version of you on my world."

"Oh." Her expression was awestruck. "There's one of me, too?"

"Yes. Only she is a little older than you are here. She is quite powerful, as well."

Daisy smiled at that. "Still, I wouldn't want your brain to get fried at the same time."

The dragon chuckled. "Very well. As soon as your spell begins, I shall move."

"Is this gonna make a mess?" Tony asked. "Cause if so, we might want to all step back just in case of brain matter projectile dispersal…"

His comment caused a ripple of laughter through the gathered heroes, and yet they all took several steps away from the dragon, the thing it was pinning down, and Mini Pepper.

Daisy put her hand on the creature's head, and…

Yes, there was a mess.

Tony was glad he'd moved away. The armor was already a bit dirty as it was; he really didn't need anything's brains joining the muck as well.


	71. Chapter 71

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-One

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Alright, Daisy should have expected the creature's head to explode. After all, the first time she'd done this, that had been the end result.

It was still a bit of a shock, though.

Still, a part of her was glad that it happened. Oh, not because this was a bad guy and, from what their new friend had claimed – backed up by the poison spewing from the monster's own mouth – it had lots of nefarious plans for Daisy's world that didn't jibe with how she wanted to live.

No, that part of her that was sort of glad that it had exploded was because she wanted to get a little bit of vengeance for what had happened to her Dad and Crystal, and Ruby was practically incapacitated so she basically had already been revenged on, and Daisy wasn't the sort to kick a person when they were down.

Well, maybe in _certain_ circumstances, she supposed…

There was still Catherine Hale, but she figured Wizard justice would take care of her. And, while her erstwhile mother had also been involved, Daisy thought other forms of justice would work in her case, as well.

Besides, despite the fact that Daisy really didn't want a damned thing to do with her, Jiaying was still her birth mother. She might be irritated at the woman's sense of entitlement, and the fact that she seemed to completely ignore the fact that Daisy didn't want to have anything to do with her, but that would more warrant a punch in the jaw than exploding her brain.

Their new dragon friend made a noise and shook out his claw. "That was quite unexpected, but it worked, and your world won't have to worry about Cell 1-1-4 anymore."

"Did they try something in your reality?" Daisy asked, stepping back.

"They did. My team and I managed to stop them." His voice was matter-of-fact, but there was something in his eyes that told her it wasn't as easy as all that. "Now, if the dragons currently perched on me would care to move…"

There was a flurry of wings, and all the dragons that had seemed to fall in love with their otherworldly cousin took flight; Skye settled back into her usual place on Daisy's shoulders, and she rubbed her companion in welcome. She could certainly understand why they all had been interested; and, with the added benefit that they all seemed to speak the same dragon language. The young Wizard had always known that dragons could talk to each other, but as far as she'd known only the Queen of Air and Fire could understand what they were saying. It had to have been wonderful to meet a new friend, even if it was only temporary.

That was, if they could get him back home.

There was a sudden golden glow that surrounded the dragon and, as Daisy watched, the glow compacted itself down to man-size. It faded, and standing where the dragon had was an almost exact copy of Grand Master Ianto Jones.

Oh, there were slight differences. This version looked younger, yet seemed so much older. His hair was a little shorter, and his eyes ancient. Steve didn't look surprised, but everyone else was gaping in their own way. Oh, and Baron Tony, but Daisy had already figured out that he'd worked out something about their guest.

This also explained why his voice was so much like Ianto's.

It should have been a bit more shocking than it was, she thought.

One of the smaller dragons – Daisy didn't know its name – decided that it liked hanging around this version of Ianto, and perched on his shoulder. The dragon in man form looked touched, cooed gently at the blue-grey dragon, and it rubbed its little cheek on his.

"I truly thought all these little ones were children," he said softly. "I had not seen dragon children in at least a thousand years. But, of course, they aren't."

Daisy felt incredibly sad for him and just couldn't resist. She walked right up to him and hugged him.

His arms went around her, his body a little warmer than what she was used to. That made sense, since dragons were also warmer than their companions. Skye was like wearing a tiny furnace around her neck at times.

"Thank you," he murmured into her ear.

"You're welcome." She felt bad for him. How would she have felt if she was the last one of something? Let alone her own race? That would be horrible. She couldn't even imagine it.

"And I am sorry about your father and your sister." He pulled back enough to look her in the eye. "I'm certain you'll be able to find them."

He seemed sincere. "What can I call you? I mean, I can't use Ianto, because that would be confusing."

The dragon chuckled. "Iohannes will do fine. It's the name I was born with. I became Ianto Jones much later in life."

"Alright." It suited him, although she didn't know what it meant; it was obviously one of those sorts of names with meaning to it. It was probably something from his home world.

Daisy felt a hand on her arm, the magic thrumming within the touch making her slightly queasy. She pulled away, glaring over her shoulder. "What do you want?" she demanded. She was still so very angry at Jiaying, and yet it really didn't have anything much to do with Daisy being an orphan, although she suspected the woman had more to do with it than she was claiming.

Before Jiaying could answer, however, Iohannes frowned and said, "What is that creature to you, Daisy?"

Creature?

What?

Thor strode forward, pulling his hammer from his belt. He'd dropped the creepy head he'd been carrying. "Stand away from her," he ordered. "Such a foul thing should not be here."

Daisy took a couple of steps back confused at the way both were acting. "What's going on?" she demanded.

"That is no human," the Prince of Asgard proclaimed. "That is a lich."

It suddenly made all sorts of sense to Daisy.

Yes, she'd never seen a lich before, but she'd heard stories about the creatures, Wizards who had died and were being preserved by their own, now twisted, magicks. This woman, who'd claimed to be her mother, was one of them, and her own magical senses had been trying to tell her all along.

Then, it clicked.

"That was why my birth father took me away." It was falling into place for her now. She could see it; her father, fearing and hating what Jiaying had become, running away and taking Daisy with him. But, for some reason, he hadn't been able to keep her, and she'd ended up at that first orphanage.

Her father had tried to save her. He hadn't truly abandoned her.

Jiaying's face twisted. "Oh, don't go hero-worshipping your worthless birth father! He's the one who did this to me." She waved her hand in front of her scarred face. "He left me for dead and stole you away…but he hadn't anticipated that I'd been prepared for him. I came back by the strength of my magic, but by the time I had, it was too late. He was gone, and he'd taken you with him. Until Hydra showed up, I had no idea that he'd left you at some orphanage." Her expression changed, softened. "I looked for you. But I was never able to find you."

Daisy was reeling. Could she believe Jiaying? Could she trust anything that came out of her undead mouth? A part of her wanted to scoff at what she was saying; another part, wanted to believe that her mother wouldn't have just abandoned her without good reason.

She'd lived so long with the knowledge that no one had wanted her, until Dad had found her in that alley. It had one of the truths that she'd always stood upon, like bedrock beneath her feet. But now, she was hearing something that wasn't at all like she'd imagined…her birth father, killing her birth mother, and then running away with her…

But he'd left her in an orphanage. Why had he done that, if he'd taken her away in the first place? Hadn't he meant to raise her himself? Perhaps he realized he couldn't do it alone, and so had put her somewhere he'd believed would be better?

Or, had there been some other reason, one she just either couldn't grasp or didn't want to bring out in the open? Because even thinking about it would acknowledge its validity.

That he had done it to hide her from the very mother who stood there now, not even human any longer.

Chances were, she would never know the entire truth. Even if she did manage, somehow, to locate her birth father, it would only be a game of he said/she said, and no way to tell the lies from what was true. Maybe this was the final validation of the fact that Phil Coulson would always be her father, no matter that he hadn't contributed to her birth.

She glanced at Clint, who was standing next to her, somehow with his bow drawn and an arrow nocked, ready to protect her. He was yet another father that she could rely on, willing to come to her defense whenever she needed it. Him, she could trust, as well.

Daisy took another step back, putting Clint between herself and the woman who was claiming to have carried her and given birth to her, and yet wasn't really human anymore. She didn't want to know what had made Jiaying the way she was, what had prompted her to become a lich, and honestly, she didn't much care. This was her, accepting Clint – her other Dad – as one of the few people she would rely on in her life, letting him be her protector.

"Where are we going to put her?" her other Dad asked.

"Under the Guild Hall," Natasha answered, "with all the other Hydra traitors."

"Oh, I think Baron Jeremy might like that," Uncle Nick drawled. "After all, she brought Hydra here and gave them shelter. That's been an actionable offense ever since those bastards surfaced, and the Guild does take precedence where magic is concerned."

Daisy didn't know who Baron Jeremy was, and figured she could ask later if she really wanted that information. She might live in the Western Lands, but that didn't mean she kept up with Baronies that weren't where she lived.

Uncle Nick's pronouncement had all the children – except Medusa, who had joined them – shouting and crying, as if they were taking their mother away as well. And, maybe that was how they saw her; after all, Jiaying had taken them all in, after their so-called parents had abandoned them. Or, that was what they believed. Daisy knew there would have to be some investigation into those accusations, and that the Wizard Guild would handle that, along with the Council of Barons. They would need to find each child's parents, and see if what had occurred had been what Jiaying had claimed.

Even if there were some children here that she'd taken without permission, Daisy had the feeling that there were far more that had suffered what Crystal had. That would most likely be taking into consideration at any trial.

She wasn't sure what the Guild would do about the fact that Jaiying was now a lich, because that just shouldn't happen. Had Hydra known that about her? The young Wizard doubted it. They'd wanted to create a new Deathless, not a cabal of liches; they'd wanted people who'd live forever, unchanging, and liches didn't do that from what Daisy had read. All they seem to have been interested in was Daisy's past, and a way to use that against her and her Dad.

Grant Ward had said it, back after he'd been taken into custody. He'd claimed to have known Daisy's family, and at the time she'd been convinced it had been a ruse to get her to let him out of his cell. Well, she was still positive that had been the reason for even bringing it up, but he hadn't anticipated her turning him down. So he hadn't been trying to trick her with a lie. He'd really known about Jiaying and this place and just who she was to Daisy.

Realizing that made her more certain that she never would have accepted that deal, even if she'd believed Ward in the first place.

Jiaying stood tall and proud, her eyes full of disdain. "I might have accepted Hydra into my valley, but I'll never be sorry for that. They brought me my daughter, and if being in prison somewhere is the price I'm perfectly willing to pay it. I only ask that you take care of my little ones. They've been through so much in their short lives, they all deserve their happy endings."

"The Wizard's Guild will do a thorough investigation into each and every one of their families," Ianto's voice promised. He, Jack, and Stephen had approached as they'd been focused on Jiaying; Ianto looked pale and exhausted, and was leaning on Stephen heavily. Jack was carrying Ruby in his arms, the girl's eyes open and staring, and not registering her surroundings.

Myfanwy eyed the second Ianto curiously, then flew over to him, chattering at him in greeting. Iohannes answered her; while Daisy couldn't understand the words, they were pleased. Myfanwy practically squealed in delight, attacking their new friend for cuddles. Agamotto, equally happy, had crawled down Stephen's body and had also gone to greet Iohannes, who easily picked up the wingless dragon and gave him his own share of cuddles. Daisy couldn't help but notice that Iohannes' eyes were moist with tears.

"There is also the charge of not reporting a dangerous Artifact to the Guild," Ianto went on, "which will also carry a fairly stiff sentence."

Jiaying's jaw jutted belligerently. "It wasn't dangerous until that girl touched it."

"That doesn't matter," Stephen waved off that objection. "It should have been Tested the moment you discovered it."

"There is also the matter of harboring a fugitive from Asgardian justice," Prince Thor spoke up.

"Let the Council know what extradition procedures we need to follow," Uncle Nick said, "and we'll make sure your people get their pound of flesh."

"What about Loki?" Clint demanded. "Where is he?"

"Unfortunately, he has escaped." The Prince looked very unhappy about that, which was understandable. "He used the chaos that was sown to make good on his getaway. I shall not stop until I have found him."

"We'll help in whatever way we can," Tony spoke up. He'd removed his helmet, revealing a sweaty yet triumphant expression. "The longer Loki is at large, the more problems he can potentially cause."

"Indeed, Baron Tony," Prince Thor agreed. "Loki's malicious mischief knows no bounds."

"What about Dad and Crystal?" Daisy was almost afraid to ask, but she really needed to know. They could be anywhere, in trouble, and cut off from their friends and family. The young Wizard was almost desperate to get them back.

Jiaying opened her mouth, most likely to once again rant that he wasn't her Dad, but Daisy had had enough. She cast a Blast spell on the woman, using her wand this time because she needed pinpoint accuracy for it, and that was something the wand would help with.

Even has tired as she was, and the fact that she did use her wand, the spell still sent Jiaying flying back several paces, to land in a heap not far from where Uncle James was standing, flanked by Melinda and Natasha.

It didn't knock her out; Daisy wasn't sure an undead creature could be knocked unconscious, but she was stunned enough that both Melinda and Natasha had her on her feet and restrained between them. "We'll take out the trash," Natasha offered. "I can Teleport her to the Guild Hall and make sure she's subdued. I'm sure the other Hydra Wizards would appreciate the company."

"Sounds like a plan," Uncle Nick agreed.

"Liches are tricky creatures," Prince Thor warned. "While her magic is occupied in keeping her in her current state, that does not mean she does not have the power to fight back."

"Oh, I have the answer to that." Seemingly out of nowhere, Natasha produced her magic-cancelling manacles, snapping them onto Jiaying's wrists.

The lich instantly sagged and, for a split second, Daisy thought the manacles had killed her. Then, she remembered that Jiaying was already dead, and they'd simply cut off her power temporarily. "She'll come back to living…I mean," she blushed a little at her slip, "existing, once the manacles are off?"

"Indeed," Thor answered. "She had done much to corrupt her own magic in order to keep her in this state, and it will not be contained so easily."

"_That's_ lovely," Jack groused. "All we need is a lich involved in this mess."

"There are ways to negate that power," Ianto reassured them all. "However, it's not a priority at this point. We need to figure out how to locate Phil and Crystal, and then get our friend here," he gestured toward Iohannes, "back to his own home. Then, we can concentrate of the actual clean-up from this debacle."

"Thank you," Iohannes said gratefully. "However, it looks like you need about two days' sleep before we can do anything else."

"You can stay with us," Daisy spoke up. "We have enough room." She really didn't want to wait to go after her family, but she was aware that Ianto would need the time to recover from whatever he'd done with the Reality Stone. Hopefully, Dad and Crystal would have that sort of time.

Iohannes smiled at her. "I will need a large enough space to sleep; I take on my dragon form to do that."

"That's no problem," Melinda put in. "We have an entire empty observatory at the top of the Keep. It should be large enough."

"I told Phil he needed to get a telescope up there," Clint chuckled, "but he hadn't gotten around to it yet. Good thing, too, with you needing the space."

"Phil's gonna need a really good telescope," Baron Tony said. "When he's ready, I know a man who builds the best telescopes in the world. I can totally hook you up."

"Let's disperse," Uncle Nick said, "and then meet again in two days. Grand Master Stephen, you can take care of the Artifact as well as the Hales?"

Stephen nodded. "I'll take the Artifact to the Archives and lock it up. When we're ready to try and bring Phil and Crystal back, and send our visitor home, we can work in one of the laboratories there. I'll also make sure Catherine Hale is locked up, and Ruby put into the care of the Guild's healers. There isn't much we can do for her, unfortunately…"

"Then, let's do our jobs, people," Uncle Nick clapped his hands. "We have friends to save."


	72. Chapter 72

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Loki used the chaos of battle to sneak away.

He had no choice. Not only were his survival instincts that strong but, with his magic yet still damaged from his original battle with the Dark One, his chances of being able to defend himself properly were practically nil. If he did not escape then, Thor would take him back into custody and the very last place he wanted to be taken to was back to his boring prison.

And so, he created an illusion that would last only until someone looked at it closely, then made his way out of the village and into the mountains, dodging the fights going on around him; sometimes not so easily, and sometimes simply as the combatants were too occupied with beating each other into the ground.

However, it was not as if he did not pay attention to those who did battle with the creatures that Novice Ruby was summoning.

In fact, he watched as much as he was able, taking the measure of those who had come to the Dark One's defense. He was no strategist; however, he could make deductions about power and ability as much as the next layman could.

There were those he recognized. The Deathless, for one, but then Jack Harkness had long given up the cloak of anonymity that he had long worn when he had taken the Cardinal Wizard as his husband. That Wizard, Ianto Jones, was there too, as was Grand Master Stephen Strange and, even at the height of Loki's power he would not have been able to take on two such powerful Wizards on his own, not without much trickery as he was able. And yet, there would not have been any guarantee they would not have seen through his illusions, not if they were friends of the Dark One and had been told of that fateful duel so long ago.

And how had the man who had been the most hated Wizard in the Western Lands gained these friends? And a family? While Loki had been languishing in prison?

It was a mystery he would, one day, love to solve.

But that was not today.

Today, now was the retreat. And Loki was not like his brother, seeming to be preoccupied with using that hammer of his on whatever creature blundered into his path, who believed that retreating was the coward's way out. No, Loki had enough pragmatism to recognize that escape was always the better part of valor when certain defeat was at hand.

The red and gold armor intrigued him. Loki almost stopped on his weaving path out of the battlefield, simply to watch it move about the sky, using some sort of magic that he could not quite identify…most likely from the gemstone that glowed within the armor's breastplate. It had to have been a powerful Artifact indeed if it was allowing the person within the armor to not only fly, but to fire bolts at the monsters that just kept appearing from the portals that Ruby Hale was creating. There was something about that Artifact that was niggling at Loki's magical senses, but he could not take the time to examine it further.

There was also a green, ogre-like beast that was also fighting on the side of the Dark One's friends. Now, those were curses that Loki was seeing, so obvious he did not even need his magical sight in order to figure them out. Someone had cast some powerful spells on whoever that was, and that person was using them in a way the Asgardian Wizard knew had not been intended. He was impressed despite himself, to be perfectly honest.

There was also something very familiar about the two Elven archers with them, although Loki thought it had more to do with him knowing one, and the other being related to the first. He could not put his finger on what was tickling his memory, and he set it aside for now. He would think back on it later, when he had the opportunity.

There were others, but they were merely fighters, formidable as they were. Loki had no interest in warriors, and brushed their presence aside. He had other things to be concerned about, and would leave them to fight this battle without them knowing he was even passing by.

He managed to make it to the mountains just as the battle was winding down. He could tell the moment that Thor had discovered his illusion; his magic told him as soon as the spell collapsed. Still, it had served its purpose, and had allowed him to escape unnoticed. Chances were, they would not have the time to search for him, not with the turmoil that would surround the battlefield, and that would give him an even greater head start.

Sleipnir chirped at him, and he glanced down toward the only companion who would always stand by him. They would need to find a place to lie low, as it were, until it was safe for them to move once more. The life of a fugitive did not sit well with him, used as he was to the better things in life – even while in prison, at least they had had all the amenities in their cell. Now, they would be on the run, and that thought nearly made him turn back and hand himself over to his erstwhile brother for transport back to Asgard.

He could not do that, go back to boredom and four walls. Freedom was meant to be his, and he would take it, even though it meant he would not be safe from capture unless he managed to completely remake himself in some way. Perhaps he should head south and west, toward the ocean that he knew was in that direction, and take ship to another country. Or, he could use his illusion abilities to change his demeanor into something that was certainly less Loki-like.

That sounded like an excellent plan.

It would mean abandoning his quest for revenge against the Dark One. But Loki could wait. He had had to learn patience during his imprisonment, and knew that his nemesis would be waiting for him to strike…that was, if he was eventually brought back from wherever Novice Ruby had banished him.

Oh, who was he fooling? The Dark One had friends now, who would not rest until they located him and he was home with the family he had created about himself once more.

And, it was not as if Loki did not have a name now: Phil Coulson. And this man was now Grand Master of Voids, a high-profile position. Loki would be able to locate him when the time was right, when the Dark One had lowered his guard, believing that Loki was gone for good.

Then, he could return and strike.

For now, Loki of Asgard needed to vanish. So, with a simple twist of the magic he still had at his disposal, he pulled his illusion about himself and Sleipnir once more, and made his way up the mountain and away from Hydra's once-hidden valley.


	73. Chapter 73

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Their homecoming wasn't at all like Clint had imagined.

The major reason being they were missing two members of their family to some reality or other and no one knew where Phil and Crystal had ended up.

It was enough to make the Elf despair of ever seeing them again.

However, he didn't dare say that in front of Daisy. She had enough to worry about and Clint needed to keep her spirits up. It wasn't a stretch of the imagination to know that she was most likely blaming herself for walking into a Hydra trap, but it really hadn't been her fault. How could she have known that the student she'd befriended had been sent by Catherine Hale?

Speaking of that student…

Medusa had also come home with them.

She seemed genuinely contrite for her part in events. And Clint wasn't about to blame her, either. After all, she was just a kid, only eleven years old, and she hadn't even known what Hydra was, let alone that she'd be somehow hurting the adopted sister of her own sibling. Shit, if Medusa had been through even a portion of what Crystal had…

Then there was Iohannes.

If Clint was somewhat despairing of being able to find the missing members of his family, how was the reality-displaced dragon feeling? He certainly seemed upbeat about the situation, trusting in the Wizards to find a way to send him back to his own world, but Clint had to wonder if that was just a façade. That their guest was anything _but_ confident, and was simply hiding it well. If the dragon was anything like the man he was the counterpart of, then it might be even more difficult to tell. Only Phil had that bland mask more down than Ianto Jones did, in Clint's not at all biased opinion.

Clint put his bow back in the place he kept it, by one of the cabinets in Phil's casting chamber, ready to go whenever or wherever he needed to. He also kept a second bow up in their bedroom, just in case, and had been seriously considering a third somewhere else in the Keep. Sure, Phil had worked long and hard on making the place unPlotable, but the archer was just paranoid enough about it to warrant the extra precaution. He'd have to talk to Melinda about the best place for it; after all, she'd been the one to work on the non-magical defenses, and knew her way around Shield Keep better than anyone. Daisy _thought_ she knew more, but Clint highly doubted it.

"Welcome to Shield Keep," Clint told their guest, who was looking around curiously.

There was a slight upturn of Iohannes' mouth, as if he'd found the name of the keep vaguely amusing. "The magic is strong in this place. It almost feels like my old home did, before magic began to fade away in my universe."

That…was sad. How could a world hope to function without magic?

"We have technology," Iohannes answered when Clint asked. "Where I come from, science has supplanted magic for the most part. There are very few places left on Earth that are still full of the primordial magic. Although, there's a prophecy that says magic will one day return, so I have hope."

"We lost magic for a while, too," Daisy said. She had Medusa by the hand, and the child was quite content to cling there for the time being.

"How did it return?" the dragon seemed very interested.

Daisy explained about Master John Smith and his spell, and how it had eventually been broken, as they headed up into the living areas of the Keep. Andrew was waiting for them when they arrived upstairs, his expression worried as he noticed his wife not among them.

And Clint had noticed Daisy limping a little. Apparently, Andrew had as well, judging from his eyes narrowing a little in Daisy's direction despite his obvious concern with his missing wife.

"Melinda is helping with the prisoners," Clint told him, not wanting him to be concerned that something had happened. "She'll be along as soon as she and Natasha have gotten them settled in the Guild Hall dungeon."

"And Phil and Crystal?"

"They…" Clint swallowed. It was hard to be optimistic, but he had to try.

Andrew's dark eyes were sympathetic and frightened at the same time when Clint finished. "Ianto and Stephen will do their best to locate them." He glanced at Iohannes in confusion, which meant he had to have been noticing the differences and resemblance between their friend.

Clint knew that, but that didn't make him feel any better.

"And this is Iohannes," the archer introduced, "he got dragged into our reality from his own. He'll be staying with us until a way can be found to return him."

"You're very welcome," Andrew said warmly. "I'll prepare a room –"

"There is no need," the dragon replied politely, "I have been offered the observatory for the duration of my stay."

Andrew frowned. "But the observatory doesn't even have windows yet..."

"It will be perfect for my needs," Iohannes assured him. He looked amused by Andrew's confusion. "I'm not human, I only look like one."

He didn't seem to be about to elaborate on that, so Clint left him with his secret, even though Andrew was perfectly trustworthy. although Iohannes hadn't said anything, Clint got the impression that he was used to hiding the fact that he was an actual dragon. Which was a crime, really, because dragons were awesome.

"If you're sure," Andrew was giving him one more chance to accept a normal room.

"Quite certain."

"Alright. But, if you need anything, all you need to do is ask."

"I think we'd all wouldn't last a month without Andrew," Daisy replied. "He and Melinda run this place. We just all live here."

Andrew laughed at that. "I'm pretty sure you're right about that. I've seen what happens when Phil tries to cook something." Then his humor disappeared, obviously thinking about Phil and Crystal and where they might have been sent.

"Do we have a room for Medusa and Addie?" Daisy inquired. "We found them…and it turns out Medusa is Crystal's biological sister."

Andrew's face went fond. He knelt in front of girl and the dragon. "Welcome home, Medusa and Addie. I'm Andrew. It's nice to meet you both."

Medusa looked a little awestruck at his words. Just what had Jiaying said to her that was making her so surprised when someone was nice to her? There hadn't been any sign of physical abuse, but Daisy had said something about a cult? Would they need to do any sort of deprogramming? Clint had seen the aftermath of cults before and it was never pretty.

Andrew could probably help with that. After all, before his curse he'd been a trained professional in that sort of thing.

"We have a room next to Crystal's," Andrew went on. "Why don't I get you something to eat, then I'll get it ready for you?"

"Alright," Medusa agreed, a little shyly.

"I'll show Iohannes the observatory," Clint offered, "if Daisy wants to go along with Medusa."

Daisy looked undecided, so Clint nudged her a little. Daisy had been the one to meet Medusa, and a familiar face might help settle both her and her dragon. Besides, she could probably eat as well, it had been a while since breakfast. And maybe Andrew could ask her about that limp.

"And you?" Andrew asked Iohannes. "Are there any dietary requirements I need to know about?"

"Don't worry about me. I can hunt somewhere. I don't want to eat you out of house and home."

"I doubt you'd do that. You haven't seen this group put away the meals."

"Hey," Clint protested without heat. He was well aware that, as growing girls, Crystal and Daisy could certainly eat, and Phil, when he overused his magic, could eat double what he normally would. Add the dragons into that and yes, he could see that the food bill for the Keep would be enormous. He supposed it was a good thing he'd started supplementing the larder with various game animals the archer could bring home from hunting the surrounding mountains.

Iohannes chuckled. "I'm sure it is spectacular. However, I'm perfectly fine going out and getting my own meals."

"The mountains and valley here are good for deer," Clint told him, "as well as other larger animals."

"Then that will do nicely."

"I'll show you up to your sleeping area, then."

The Elf led the way up the stairs. The observatory was at the very top of the Keep, right above his and Phil's sleeping chamber and sitting room. Phil had thought to turn it into an observatory himself, but that plan had fallen by the wayside when other improvements to the Keep had taken precedence. Then Clint had found the place and had mentioned it, suggesting that Phil contact Tony Stark for advice on the best telescopes, but he hadn't gotten around to it yet.

He would just have to do it when he got home.

Clint wouldn't accept any other outcome than his fiancé and his daughter being found and brought back from wherever Ruby Hale and the Reality Stone had sent them. He couldn't help the despair, however. It just seemed an insurmountable task…

The observatory was about half the circumference of the Keep itself, a chamber that sat atop Shield Keep as if it had been added to the roof at some point in the past. It must have once had wall to ceiling windows, but those had long been broken out, and Phil had once told him that he'd taken out the jagged pieces in preparation to having glaziers come in and measure for the replacements but, once again, other improvements had gotten in the way of the actual work being done.

The room had excellent views of the surrounding area, showcasing the mountains and valley off to their best effect. Clint loved coming up here when he needed time alone, which did happen every once in a while, but Phil understood; after all, he had his own solitary nature, and with his new responsibilities to the Guild Phil would need that solitude even more, when being around people became too much. Which was why he really did need to finish the observatory at some point.

Iohannes spun slowly, a satisfied smile on his face. "This will do quite nicely. It almost reminds me of my birthplace, in a way. Although there's no lake in the valley."

"There's a small one," Clint told him. "But it's more of a catch basin for the river. From what Phil tells me, it's icy cold and not fit for swimming, even in the summer." Gods, he missed Phil. His lover would have been going crazy over the fact that they had an otherworldly dragon staying with them.

"Your Ianto will find him." Iohannes sounded positive about that.

"He will. Because I can't see any outcome that doesn't have him and Crystal coming home." He had to stay optimistic. And, with Iohannes being another version of his Wizard friend, if anyone should know, it would be the dragon.

"Excuse me."

The strange voice had Clint spinning, putting himself between it and his guest. To his surprise, there was a woman standing in one of the openings where the windows would have been, looking as if suddenly appearing at the pinnacle of a really tall tower was something she did every day. She had wild brown hair, dark eyes, was dressed in a combination of courtly attire and beggar's clothes, and somehow she made that dichotomy work. Her feet were bare.

Something of his shock must have shown on his face, because she laughed. "It has not been that long since we last saw each other, Clint Barton."

Before he would respond to that, Lucky was racing over to her, chattering excitedly. The silly dragon was practically hugging her, and she laughed again. "Thank you for calling me, child," she told him fondly, kneeling and wrapping her arms around the wriggling dragon. Her dark eyes glittered as they looked past Clint toward Iohannes. The Elf wished he could see the otherworldly dragon's expression, because it must have matched his own.

"Idris?" he practically squeaked.

"Ah, yes. You have not seen my human form." The Queen of Air and Fire stood, one hand resting on a very content Lucky's head. "I certainly did not mean to startle you."

Clint wanted to call bullshit on that, but refrained. "It's more the fact that you're standing on the edge of a window high up on a tower and could fall out any minute," he corrected her tartly.

Idris, however, didn't look at all fooled by that. She didn't comment, though. "Greetings, Ianto Jones…or should I say Draco Brennius Iohannes?"

"I'm going by Iohannes here," the other dragon said, stepping out from behind Clint and being kind enough not to mention that he could have protected himself and hadn't needed the archer to do it. "To avoid any sort of misunderstanding."

Clint could tell he was confused by their visitor, and yet, somehow, he realized that Iohannes had recognized that he was seeing a dragon instead of a human standing there. "This is Idris," he performed the introductions, "also known as the Queen of Air and Fire, the One Mother from whom all dragons come, and several other titles I don't think need mentioning." He'd looked them all up after meeting Idris for the first time, out of curiosity and a desire to tease her if he ever saw her again. This, however, wasn't the right time for it.

Iohannes' ancient eyes let up. "It's an honor to meet one of the Old Ones."

Idris snorted. "None of that 'Old Ones" shite, Iohannes. I might have been born before time itself, but that doesn't mean I'm elderly."

"My apologies, My Lady." He was doing a very good job of not laughing.

She quirked an imperious eyebrow at him. He gave her one of his own in response.

Clint was impressed. He was also intrigued.

"I was not the only one to come into creation at the beginning," she explained without being prompted. "There were many of my kin as well. When the multiverse was split, the Great Dragons each chose a universe to inhabit. In Iohannes', there are four."

"We still call them the Great Dragons," Iohannes volunteered. "They embody Earth, Air, Fire, and Water."

"You are closely connected to the Earth Dragon. I can hear his song in your mind." She smiled gently. "I had not forgotten my brother and his songs."

"I will be more than happy to pass on your regards when I see him next."

"Please, do." Her smile turned sad. "Is it true what my children have told me? That you are the Last Dragon on your world?"

"I am," Iohannes answered sadly. "In my universe, humans were not quite as…accepting, as they seem to be here. We were hunted to near extinction."

"Then I will mourn with you, if you will permit me."

Clint felt like he was intruding, and decided it was time to leave. "I'll just let you two catch up." He made his way toward the door.

He had only taken two steps when Idris called him back.

"Lucky tells me you have spoken with Ashildr."

"I did, yes." Clint had really wanted to talk to Phil first but, with his lover missing, perhaps Idris would be a good substitute. "I'm…still not sure what I should do."

"You should follow your heart. I once told you that you have a destiny, which is why I brought Lucky to you, despite you not being a Wizard."

"So, if I don't choose to go along with it…?" He didn't want to lose Lucky. But he also didn't want to be coerced into something that he still wasn't convinced was a good idea.

"Oh, no. Not at all." Her assurance took the tension out of his shoulders and back immediately. "I would never remove one of my children from their chosen companion, unless there was excellent reason for doing so." Idris stepped forward, putting her small hand on his shoulder. Heat radiated through his shirt from the contact, much like the warmth he'd felt when he'd first touched Iohannes. "Your choice will always be your own, and I know that you are uncertain that you are worthy."

"And Phil's missing," he pointed out. "I don't want immortality if he's not here to share it with me." It was perhaps his greatest fear, really: that Phil would be lost forever, along with Crystal and Lola and Lockjaw. There was no way he wanted to live forever if Phil wasn't there to share the walk with him.

"You have been offered immortality?" Iohannes looked intrigued.

Clint explained about Phil, his being Void Champion, and what that meant, then told him about Ashildr and her prophecy.

"We have such a creature in my universe as well, although it seems they are not the same," Iohannes mused. "She's more often right than wrong, although a lot of the time it's only proven after the fact." He shrugged. "She enjoys speaking in riddles."

It looked like it was yet another similarity between their worlds, even if it seemed a little vaguer than having a Clint Barton that wasn't an Elf. A part of Clint wished he could see it for himself, but he didn't want to risk losing what he had here in order to explore other worlds like Iohannes'.

"A prophetic presence is also a link in all worlds, no matter how different they are from one another," Idris said serenely. "Even if that presence is never believed."

"Clint." Iohannes faced him, his eyes ancient and kind. "The dragons on my world are as close to immortal as can be, and yet can still be killed. My Jack is also immortal. We are mates, and we plan to spend eternity together. However, if I wasn't a dragon, and I'd met Jack, I would have done everything in my power to stay with him forever."

That was how Clint felt, really. He didn't want Phil to lose him, which would happen eventually, whether to old age or injury…especially that last part, if he did become one of Nick's Avengers. He thought of Phil, wearing the ring that Ianto had made for them, so that they could have a child of their own in the future…and then of Phil, wearing that ring as a reminder of what he'd lost if they never got the opportunity to make good on that particular commitment. Of Phil living on and his heart breaking over and over again, and only Jack and Ianto being there to help him. Oh, they would try, but Clint knew that Phil would never be as accepting of their consolation as he would of someone who was walking that path beside him.

And, someday, he might very well lose Phil to something the Void couldn't fix. In fact, he could have lost both Phil and Crystal _now_, and never see them again. Would this be how Phil would feel, in the future, with their close family gone to dust? Or would it be so far worse?

Wouldn't it be somehow better if he had someone with him, who had lost the same people?

"We have a soul bond," the Elf added. "Stephen's seen it. It's still not very strong…"

"And that bond is how you will find the Void Champion and your daughter," Idris offered. "It will lead you to your Phil."

Clint froze. Could it really be that simple?

"And they're still alive?" he needed to know, if Idris knew anything beyond that.

Her eyes turned distant. "I can feel both Lockjaw and Lola. But they are so far away I cannot speak to them, or tell where they are." She blinked, her focus back to the Elf. "I am sorry, but I cannot tell you anything else."

The weight of loss and mourning lifted from him immediately. If the Queen of Air and Fire could still sense both dragons, then Phil and Crystal were still alive. No dragon outlived their Wizard, and if his loved ones were gone forever…

That knowledge, and the notion that they could use his nascent bond with Phil to find him, energized Clint in a way that even a cup of coffee couldn't do. On impulse, he reached out, grabbed Idris by the shoulders, and kissed her firmly on the lips.

Idris laughed as he moved away. "I am certainly glad to have given you such good news."

"You have no idea." Clint wanted to get started _now_, but knew that was impossible. Ianto had been exhausted, and he was the one who would be able to do the actual searching, from what he'd heard about the Cardinal Wizard's magic. He would have to wait, but he could still give Daisy a little hope. Then he could contact Stephen and ask the man who seemed to be the expert on magical bonds if Idris had the right idea.

Resolving to do just that, Clint excused himself, leaving Idris and Iohannes alone, knowing that they'd most likely spend most of the night chatting. It would be a chance for Iohannes to speak to another dragon, and Idris to get caught up with others of her kind from other realities, trusting the two of them to make themselves comfortable.

With a bounce in his stride that had been missing ever since Phil and Crystal had turned out to be missing, Clint left the observatory in order to find Daisy and to make sure that Medusa was settled in. Then, he'd make the rest of his plans.


	74. Chapter 74

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"Well," Baron Nick sighed, flopping himself down in his chair, "that was certainly an interesting first outing for the Avengers."

Steve barely managed to roll his eyes.

The Baron had contacted Baron Jeremy Bolt of Olympia, who had managed to get some of his Knights up into the valley for clean-up purposes. The Baron and his brothers had completely agreed to let the Wizard's Guild handle the Hales and Jiaying, the woman who'd claimed to be Daisy's birth mother and was apparently an undead creature called a lich, and Master Joshua, the Court Wizard, had graciously agreed to help Stephen take them all into custody and Teleport them to the Guild Hall…and Natasha and Melinda had simply rolled their own eyes and let him go along for the ride as the pair had dragged Jiaying between them.

It reminded Steve never to get on either woman's bad side, even if he hadn't already seen them kick all sorts of ass. He liked his life at the moment and didn't want to lose it by pissing either Natasha or Melinda off.

Mistress Maria hadn't been all that impressed, either, by that. But then, she was hardly impressed by anything. Steve sort of liked that about her.

After they'd arranged everything they could, the four of them had gone back to Triskelia: The Baron, Mistress Maria, Steve, and Bucky. Honestly, Steve had been amazed by his best friend and how well he'd handled himself in a fight with just the one arm. He was going to talk to Buck about coming to work for him with the Knights; they could certainly use his expertise, even if he still had no real idea who he was at the moment. He still had skills that would be damned useful, and Steve wasn't about to let that go to waste.

Bucky was standing in the corner…well, more like hovering, still uncertain of his place. Hells, he'd earned a place on the Avengers, not that he thought his friend would accept. Really, the only reason Buck had gone along had been because of Daisy and Phil, and with only one part of their objective achieved…

Well, there was Ianto and Stephen for that. Both Wizards seemed to know what they were talking about when they'd explained about the Reality Stone, so Steve was going to leave that part of it in their capable hands. However, he could see Bucky refusing to do that, and wanting to help find Phil and Crystal, wherever they'd been sent.

Oh, not that Steve wasn't worried. That simply wasn't the case at all. There was no telling what could have happened to either of them. And he really wanted to be able to charge to the rescue.

But there really wasn't anything he could do. Steve wasn't a Wizard, he had no magic he could use in order to track down two people he considered as being family…even if Daisy hadn't already adopted him as yet another unofficial uncle. That made Crystal his niece as well; but then, she'd been the one who'd adopted Bucky. Daisy had confirmed that adoption.

It was good to be a part of a family once again. Especially since it hadn't been something Steve had believed possible, after waking up three hundred years after his own time.

He brought his mind back to what Baron Nick had said. "It wasn't bad," he allowed, "but we're all still a group of strangers who went off on their own once we hit the battlefield. Also, while we may have succeeded in part of our main objective, we failed in the other." They'd gotten Daisy back, but not Phil. "And Loki escaped." At least the last of Hydra was now behind magical bars.

The Baron nodded. "You're right about that. I think it was more because we all survived that mess." He pinched the bridge of his nose, dislodging his eyepatch a little. Adjusting it, he continued, "I'm confident we'll find Phil and Crystal. Ianto is the best there is, and you can bet Phil is out there, trying to find his own way home even as we speak. Man's a stubborn bastard."

If anyone knew Phil Coulson, it was Baron Nick Fury, so if he thought Phil was also out there, working to discover a way back to his family, then Steve believed it.

"Also," Steve went on, "some of our best fighters weren't even eligible for the Avengers, being from the United Kingdom." He and Jack had made a formidable team, and Steve could see himself fighting alongside him in the future. He really did wish he'd recruited the man into the Howling Commandos, all those years ago. He would have been an invaluable asset, as well as a good friend.

"Which is a shame," Baron Nick allowed. "You have no idea how much I'd give to be able to get Harkness on the Avengers. And we'll definitely need a Wizard…" He glanced over at Mistress Maria, who was stretched out on one of the couches in the Baron's private sitting room, her dragon draped across her like some sort of blue, scaly, blanket, her face pale with exhaustion.

"Don't look at me," she moaned a little. "Honestly, you're going to need someone a lot more powerful than me to handle whatever the team comes up against."

Steve frowned. "Weren't you once Head of Great Order for the Western Lands?" Certainly one couldn't rise to such a position and not have the magic to back it up.

She grimaced. "It's come to my attention that I wasn't who Grand Master Stephen wanted for the job. I was pushed through because of my personal beliefs at the time, not because I was any more powerful than anyone else in the Guild."

Damn. That had to have been rough, being chosen not because of merit but because of how you thought of your fellow Wizards. Steve could understand why she'd quit, since it had come down to that.

"You might want to talk to Grand Master Stephen," Mistress Maria suggested. "He might have someone in mind…and it might even be who he has in mind for my old position. I can also come up with about half a dozen pretty powerful Greats you can consider. But, between you and me, you might want to think about putting either a Void or a Cardinal on the team. Those two Orders need the good publicity at the moment. As evidenced by those poor kids we found in that village."

She had a definite point. Steve had understood that the Voids, at least, had been the subject of some pretty bad rumors and inuendo from members of Great Order, but knowing that it had also extended to the Cardinals, and that those kids had all been rejected by their families because of the magic that ran through their veins…both Orders certainly had a lot of work cut out for themselves.

"I really do want to talk Phil into it," Baron Nick replied. "As Grand Master, he is literally the most powerful Void Wizard out there."

Steve had heard what Jack had described in that so-called card reading the UnEarthly Child had done, specifically the black flame that had been one of the symbols for those members of the Avengers. That _had_ to be Phil, because the Baron was correct: he was really the most powerful Void Wizard right now. It gave Steve a little more hope that Stephen and Ianto would be successful in locating both him and Crystal, if that had really symbolized Phil.

Mistress Maria snorted. "You're not going to get him, Nick. He won't take it…which, I can't believe I'm actually saying that. I would have once bet good money that having that sort of political power was just what the Dark One would have enjoyed."

"Maria."

The growl was something that Steve had never expected to hear from the Baron, aimed at the woman he was going to marry. It was warning, and anger, and a lot of other rather negative emotions all rolled into that single word, and it had the Knight blinking in sheer surprise.

"What?" she exclaimed. "It's not like everyone in this room doesn't already know…"

"Rogers doesn't."

The Baron's correction had Mistress Maria sitting up and looking at Steve with a frown. "Are you kidding me? Did I just break the rules of the Quorum by _accident_?" She sounded completely flabbergasted.

Steve had known that Phil had some sort of past that he was ashamed of. He hadn't asked, out of respect for the man who'd taken him out of the Void and who had risked himself in saving Bucky from all those curses that Hydra had put on him over the centuries. Hells, everyone had something they'd done that they were ashamed of in their past, and the Knight had been perfectly willing to let it lie, until Phil was ready to tell him. In fact, Phil had once told him that he'd possibly share it one day, and even Clint had hinted at something he couldn't talk about. But…Dark One? That sounded considerably more than just being ashamed of an action taken by someone younger and more foolish than they were now.

That sounded like a Dark Wizard to Steve.

But hadn't the Dark One been killed? That was what he'd heard at that first Baronial Council meeting. And Baron Nick had confirmed it…

He glanced at Buck, who shrugged. "I knew, but then Hydra knew and they weren't afraid to talk in front of their mindless puppet. I didn't say anything because it wasn't any of my business, and Phil Coulson is a good man, despite what Hydra had planned for him. He saved my life, and he didn't have to."

Steve didn't hear him say, that Phil had Buck's undying loyalty after what he'd done, and that he would follow the Grand Master to the grave if that was what was required of him. It had been apparent that Phil, Clint, and Daisy had all forgiven Buck for what he'd been forced to do under Hydra's control, when they could have held it against him. Bucky wouldn't even have argued about it, would have just accepted it.

"Look," Baron Nick said, "we all have shit in our pasts we don't like. Phil just has more than most. There was a time when he was angry at the world for things his parents did to him, all in the name of propaganda fed to him by the people who should have accepted unconditionally the magic that flowed through his veins. And that's all I'm going to say on the subject because, unlike others," he glared at Maria, who cringed a little at that expression, "I can keep it to myself. However, I'm going to tell Phil what happened as soon as he gets back, and it'll be up to him if you need to hear about the poor, damaged kid who'd only wanted his folks to love him, and instead poisoned him against his own magic."

With that, he stood and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, despite them being in the Baron's personal chambers and should have more likely asked them to leave instead of leaving himself.

"Damn," Maria sighed. She pushed Iliad gently off her lap, then standing herself. She straightened her shoulders – despite the fact that she was obviously fatigued and only wanted to stand in a more comfortable position – and met Steve's gaze unflinchingly. "Look, there was a time when I thought the worst of him." She didn't have to identify who she was speaking about. "But I've come to realize we can all change, that we can become the best men even after being the worst, and he's already been punished for his actions. I'm sorry I even said it; I can only plead the fact that I'm exhausted and not thinking straight at the moment." She slumped, scrubbing her face with her hands. "And I doubt I'm going to get a good night's sleep tonight, since I'll most likely be on the couch instead of bed."

With a sigh, she headed into the bedroom, leaving Steve and Buck alone.

"Let's go." Bucky took him by the arm, pulling him out of the room. "We're not talking about this here."

With that, his best friend was tugging him toward Steve's own quarters. Which meant that Steve could give the very little he'd just been told a good think. If it was the proper assumption to make, then Phil Coulson had once been a Dark Wizard. Well, that was certainly something to be ashamed of, and it had been the very last thing Steve would ever have considered. Phil just seemed like such a good man, who loved his daughters and lover with all of his heart. He'd rescued Steve from the Void, and had helped to break every single curse that had been put on Buck, almost to the detriment to his own well-being.

He'd heard how Hydra had approached Phil about joining their cabal, and how he'd agreed…then gone straight to Baron Nick about it. Obviously, Steve's new boss had known for a long time just who the man had been, and had accepted him into his Barony and his friendship, and the Baron wasn't stupid. He'd fought for Phil when he'd wanted to adopt Daisy, and it was apparent that Phil's daughter knew the truth about her father. Daisy was a good person, and someone who'd once been evil couldn't have raised such an amazing young lady, so accepting and giving, willing to help anyone who needed it.

Clint knew, as well, and had accepted Phil into his life and bed. Steve got the impression that the archer was a pretty canny individual, not prone to letting just anyone in. There had to be something in Phil that allowed Clint to accept him without any reservation.

Even Steve had seen the kind man behind the Grand Master. He'd seen how he was around his daughters, and the kids Daisy hung around with. He'd seen how much he cared for them, like they were his own, and there had even been teasing about his adopting them all. He'd gladly taken on Wanda and Trip as Novices, when Trip's old teaching Master had ended up being Hydra.

Wanda had once claimed that Phil had saved her and her brother from something that had been potentially deadly. She was in awe of the man, pleased and proud that he'd agreed to teach her. Those weren't the deeds of someone who was an evil Wizard.

And he was also fighting against the prejudice that lived within the Guild. He wanted Wizards to support each other, rely on each other, and not to condemn one other just because of the magic that they'd been born with. Baron Nick had said that Phil's parents had damaged him, had believed the propaganda about Voids. Had that been why he'd become this Dark One? If so, Steve could certainly understand why this fight was so very important to him. He didn't want another child to turn out like he did, to be put through whatever hells his own folks had put him through.

Gods, he wished he had more information…

Buck practically shoved him into his own room, shutting the door behind them and locking it. Steve wasn't so surprised to see that Sam had been waiting; his other friend stood up from the chair he'd been reading in, looking very concerned. "I take it, it didn't go exactly according to plan?"

"You could say that," Buck growled. "I'm gonna need to ask you to leave. Steve and I have something private to talk about, and I can't say anything in front of you. It's nothing personal…but I don't know you."

"No problem." Sam picked up his book. "I'm sure we'll be more formally introduced later, but I'm Sam, and it's my job to talk to people about the shit that's happened to them. I don't judge, and I like to think I've even helped him a little." He hooked a thumb toward Steve.

"He has," Steve confirmed. Sam had really been the best at letting Steve rant about things, and it had definitely helped him deal with being so far out of his own time.

"Thanks, Sam." Bucky said it gratefully, almost kindly, as if he really was sorry that he needed Sam to go.

For a moment, Steve didn't want Sam to leave. He wanted someone there he could rely on for an objective opinion, and the half-Elf was good at that sort of thing. But he also knew that wouldn't have been possible, if he wanted Bucky to really talk to him about the little bit of truth he'd just heard. Steve needed to know that his suppositions were right; that, despite the vague insult that Mistress Maria had made against Phil in the beginning of that conversation, that his friend was, indeed, a good person. That he hadn't been fooled…that _Bucky_ hadn't been fooled. That he could truly trust the man who'd helped them both.

He thought he already could. He just needed that confirmation.

Once Sam was gone, Bucky ordered Steve to sit. Which Steve did, on the couch, while his best friend pulled the chair that Sam had vacated right in front, so he could face Steve directly.

In that moment, Steve suddenly wished he could have cleaned up after the fight; that he could have removed the armor, take off the sword and put away the shield he'd been carrying. He'd left the helmet in Baron Nick's sitting room, where it would be perfectly fine.

Steve recognized that it would have been a delaying tactic. That really wasn't like him at all.

"You need to know a few things," Buck began, "things that I can tell you that should give you an idea of what Phil Coulson is like…"

And, with that, Steve finally got the complete story of how Hydra had tried to trap Phil, just because he'd somehow survived a death wound that Loki had supposedly given him. It was another piece of the puzzle, but Steve wasn't at all sure just what piece that was, honestly. He hadn't even known that Phil had had a past with Loki, but he should have, just from bits and pieces he'd picked up along the way. But, that Loki had supposedly killed him…he didn't know what to think about that.

That must have been what had made everyone think that the Dark One had died. And those who'd known had perpetuated that myth. But, who all _had_ known that Phil Coulson and the Dark One were one and the same?

He stopped his brain from bringing up those mysteries and listened as Buck went on. About his part in holding Daisy hostage, the fight with Clint at Hydra's mansion…and about the second time Phil had died. That time, Buck could confirm it actually happening; he'd been a witness, of how the cabal members had been furious that their notion that the so-called Dark One had been another form of Deathless had apparently been incorrect. They'd planned on using him to make themselves the same way, and that plan had fallen through when it looked as if Phil had died for good.

But, Phil had survived, and escaped.

"At first," Buck said, "I wasn't sure it was him, and not just because my memories of being in that house were still a little foggy. Oh, I knew Clint immediately as the Elf who'd nearly kicked my ass back in that mansion, but Phil…_that_ had taken a little while to reconcile because I'd seen him killed."

"So," Steve said slowly, "he really is like Jack?" That seemed so inconceivable…

"No. He's something completely different. I don't know what that difference is. You'll have to ask Phil about that."

Steve thought back on what Mistress Maria had said, about Phil already being punished for his past deeds. Was that punishment some sort of immortality? If so…he would lose everyone he loved eventually. That was…well, it was horrific, and if the Void had somehow decided that sort of thing then he wasn't so sure about it. Yes, it had kept him alive for three hundred years, but Steve had lost everyone as well…

But he hadn't.

He still had Buck.

And neither one of them was going to live forever. Like Daisy, and Clint, and Crystal…Phil would lose each of them in the future. The thought of that made him feel angry and sad in equal measure.

"But what about this Dark One stuff?" Steve wanted to know. Hydra must have known more, if they'd been so certain Phil would join them.

"I have no idea about the details," Bucky admitted. "I can only tell you what I heard about from Hydra, and John Garrett really had a big mouth. The stories he would go on about had Phil as one of the most heinous Dark Wizards in the Western Lands. But, now that I know him, I have to doubt some of it. Wanda and Pietro had been saved by him and the crew he'd run with, and Buda-Pest was rumored to have been a disaster of epic proportions. They were just so convinced that Phil was the Void form of Deathless, because he'd survived getting stabbed in the back by Loki, it just didn't occur to them that a lot of what was said about the Dark One was most likely bullshit."

Steve didn't know what to think. _Had_ Phil really been a Dark Wizard, one that Hydra thought would actually help them with their goal to make themselves all Deathless? Or had it all been rumors and actions blown completely out of proportion? He'd seen the man risk himself to help people, to take in an orphan who'd been tossed out of her family, and to have raised another daughter who'd turned out to be an amazing young person in her own right. Could he have been that bad if he'd done all of that?

"It does _seem_ incredible," Buck said, as if he was reading Steve's thoughts. "But Steve…are you willing to accept that Phil Coulson might have had a really shitty past, and let it go? Because he's proved he's a good man now, and we all do things we're ashamed of." He grimaced. "Some, more than others."

His friend had a point, even though Steve knew Buck was thinking more of himself and his being controlled by Hydra than anything else. Alright, Phil might have done things that could be construed as evil, but could Steve really say that the Wizard was, indeed, an evil man? He really couldn't, because the Knight had _seen_ true evil, in the form of the Skull, and Phil simply did not fit that mold. His actions have proved his heart, and that heart is a good one.

Baron Nick had claimed that Phil's parents had done things to him, that had led him to be angry at the world. Steve had heard a lot of the rhetoric that was being said about the Voids, of how they were evil and couldn't be trusted just because of the magic that flowed through them. Had Phil's own parents done the same thing that Crystal's had? Tossed him out, convinced that he was evil, even before he had the chance to discover what sort of man he truly was going to be when he grew up? If that was the case, then how could Steve blame him for lashing out?

And, if that was the case, then he was never really a Dark Wizard to begin with.

Mistress Maria had claimed that she now knew that people could change. That she'd seen it with Phil. But…had he really changed? Had he been wholly bad? Or had the bad just hidden the good?

Because, if there was one thing Steve was certain of, was that Phil Coulson was a good man.

Oh, he wasn't perfect. But then, no one was. Steve hadn't exactly been the epitome of a good soul during his youth…Bucky would have been the first person to point that out, if he could have remembered it. Hells, Steve himself had been made an honest-to-Gods Paladin, when he just wasn't all that qualified for that sort of thing. All he'd wanted to do was follow the man he loved to war, and that had meant extraordinary measures had been needed to accomplish that. Steve had never been Paladin material, despite what Howard Stark had thought.

He'd had to _audition_ for the part. Gods. If that weren't enough to show that Howard was the Baron of Bullshit…

So, no. He couldn't judge anyone for having a 'shitty past', as Buck had put it. Because, in the end, it was a person's actions _now_ that held the more weight.

He'd even wait for Phil to tell him, himself, no matter how badly he wanted answers. After all, that was what friends did, right?


	75. Chapter 75

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack had his arm around his husband as they Teleported into Ianto's casting chamber, Myfanwy at his side.

Today had been horrible. Jack hadn't had to fight a battle like that in ages, and he'd recalled just why he'd hated it; it had been chaos, and blood, and they were all damned lucky no one had been seriously hurt.

Oh, sure. Jack had died once. But that didn't count.

Not that Ianto would feel that way, but then what his husband didn't know wouldn't hurt Jack.

Would it?

Yes, Ianto totally knew, because he knew everything. He just was too tired to tell Jack off about it yet. After all, there was the physical evidence like the blood on him, and when his husband got a look at his shirt, with the very obvious hole in it…

Still, he could put it off for now. It just wasn't important in the grand scheme of things.

"Come on," he murmured, "let's get you cleaned up and into bed." He pulled Ianto out of the room, helping him climb the stairs up into the house above with his arm around his waist.

Ianto sighed. "To be honest, I'm not as exhausted as I've been other times I've had to expend that much magic. I had Stephen to help me, after all, and he was invaluable in getting the Reality Stone back out of Novice Ruby."

"Then why are you letting me practically carry you up the stairs?" Jack was always prepared to call bullshit on Ianto's denials of that sort of thing.

"Because you need to feel useful," his husband teased lightly. "And I love being groped by you."

The immortal leered. "And you are infinitely grope-able."

"I'm not sure that's an actual word, Jack." His voice was absolutely deadpan, but Jack could feel Ianto laughing internally through the side that was leaning against Jack's. Ianto must have been alright if he was giving as good as he was getting.

Still, Jack knew damned well that Ianto's strength was flagging by the time they'd made the main floor of the house, and it had him wondering if Ianto was going to be able to get up the stairs to the bedroom. There was no way he could fool the immortal, not after so many years of being together. He might not have been as tired as he usually was, but that didn't mean he _wasn't_ exhausted.

Just like he couldn't fool Ianto into thinking he really hadn't died when he'd done that very thing. He knew he shouldn't even try.

He also knew how worried Ianto was about the missing Phil and Crystal. His husband had had contact with the Reality Stone, knew just how impossible it must have felt when he'd seen all those realities that the stone connected to. Jack had no idea how they were going to locate either man or child. It terrified him to know that his friend and his unofficial niece were out there somewhere, the Gods knew where, and there was no way to bring them home.

Jack wondered if Clint had come to that conclusion yet. He thought not, because the Elf would want to hold out hope until there was no hope left. Clint would continue to hope until all avenues of searching were used up.

To be honest, Jack would have done the same thing if it was Ianto who was lost. He would have moved the heavens and the hells in order to get him back.

He also knew there would be no way in any of the hells that Clint would take up Ashildr's offer if Phil was lost to them. Not that Jack would blame him. Being immortal was a curse if there wasn't someone to share that long life with. And Clint wouldn't want to outlive Daisy.

He needed to talk to Ianto about what Ashildr had claimed. He hadn't had a chance to yet. The news about Clint becoming Jack's opposite was crazy enough; his husband had had dealings with the UnEarthly Child, and hadn't even picked up on the fact that she wasn't a real little girl. Ianto was going to be completely shocked when Jack told him that she was wearing an illusion in order to deal with people, let alone how she'd become immortal like Jack.

Well, not quite like Jack, since she could apparently pass hers along to Clint. He could understand the need to have a counterpart to his own Deathlessness, but to know that your own curse was only a form of placeholder for someone else…it was an idea that Jack was certainly having a hard time fathoming. The immortal wanted to discuss it with Ianto, to give him the information that Ashildr had shared, because he very much doubted that Ianto had known what she'd shared about both the Deep Ways and the Void.

There would be so many repercussions if Phil wasn't found. Jack didn't even want to consider the ones having to do with the Guild, which would be a tragedy. The personal ones were bad enough as it was.

"You want something to eat before being put to bed?" he asked, needing to take care of Ianto since he felt so utterly helpless about Phil.

"I _am_ starving. Eirlys was going to drop off some of those biscuits her Novice, Makoto, likes to make. They would go wonderfully with coffee."

"And you feel up to making coffee?" Jack rolled his eyes. He would believe it when he watched Ianto standing without help at the coffee maker.

"Ah. Perhaps not." Ianto sounded chagrined. As well he should.

"I'll make you something more than just biscuits. Then, it's off to bed." Ianto would need to replenish his energy, and eating would help with that. He knew that, having had to deal with his husband in this state before.

He maneuvered Ianto into a chair at the small table in the kitchen, then bustled about, getting meat and cheese and bread together, as well as some of the brown sauce Ianto enjoyed and the biscuits Ianto had mentioned wanting. Ianto's sister, Rhiannon, had made up a bunch of the sauce before she'd passed, and they were now down to perhaps three jars. Ianto would only use it as a treat or in special occasions, wanting to conserve it since once it was gone, there would be no more. Jack had known Rhiannon well enough to hear her voice in his head as he slathered some onto the cold chicken about how she'd made it to use, and not to sit and the jars get dusty in the bloody pantry. Jack could understand why Ianto hoarded it like the greatest treasure, and it was more to do with who had made it than wanting to conserve it. He had the impression that Rhiannon might have understood that despite the eye rolling she would inevitably have done over her brother being such a sap over a condiment.

"I have no idea how I'm going to find Phil and Crystal over the myriad alternate realities." Ianto's voice was defeated.

Jack didn't pause in his work. "I was wondering about that."

"There are so many…I saw them all, I think, only my mind couldn't comprehend them. I saw us, Jack…so many versions of us, and the dragon isn't the only alien out there with my name and face. There are realities where we're together, and some where we never meet, and some where I'm dead…or you're dead." He chuckled, the sound slightly rusty as if he hadn't done it in a long time. "There's even one where you're a ghost and I'm alive and we're in love."

"How does that even work?" He put the plate down in front of Ianto, handing a chicken leg to Myfanwy as she sat with her head on her Wizard's knee. The dragon accepted it gracefully in one claw, although tearing into it with her teeth wasn't as graceful.

It boggled Jack's mind, although he had already guessed that there was far more out there than just this, and that was even _without_ the tenets the Gods had handed down. So many realities, and so many different versions of themselves. He just couldn't imagine it, though, that there were universes where he and Ianto had never met, because he just couldn't see his life without his husband in it. That just seemed impossible. And sad.

"I have no idea, really." Ianto began to pick at his meal but, once he took his first bite, he was eating with as much gusto as he could manage and still be tired. "Only the Gods understand it, because I certainly don't."

"And Phil and Crystal are lost in all that."

Jack could see why it would seem like an impossible task. Two people and two dragons, amid an infinity of realities. The despair that he'd been holding back suddenly crashed through him. Ianto might have been a very powerful Wizard, but there was a limit to what even _he_ could do. How in the Gods' names could he hope to pinpoint the two of them when there was so much to search?

"They are." With a sigh, Ianto stopped eating. "We just got them, Jack. I can't let them languish away in some universe and lost to us and their family. I have to try…I'm just not sure how to go about it."

"Maybe you should sleep on it." He wasn't sure that would help, but Ianto was drooping now, a combination of tiredness and helplessness making his entire body slump in its chair. He needed to rest, although Jack knew his husband well enough to know that sleep would be a long time coming under the weight of his uncertainty. He would be wracking his brain, trying to work out a way to locate two souls within infinity.

And there wasn't a thing Jack could say or do to make things better.

He knew then that not telling Ianto about Ashildr and her offer to Clint had been the right thing. This would only make things worse, knowing that Clint had had a way to spend the rest of Phil's existence with him and had lost the love of his life to something this random.

"Yes, maybe." There was such a tone of utter helplessness in Ianto's voice.

Jack had no choice but to wrap his arms around his husband and just hold him, understanding that he was feeling the same sense of despair that Jack, himself, was.

He knew Ianto wasn't ready to give up, though. Neither was Jack, for that matter.

There had to be _something_ they were overlooking. Something that would lead them to their lost friend and his youngest child. Something they could use to bring them both home to their loved ones, safe and sound.

"You realize," Ianto's words were muffled against Jack's stomach, "that they could have been sent to a reality that doesn't have the access to the Void that we do."

The immortal shuddered. Ianto didn't have to explain that particular fear.

Both Phil and Crystal were Void Wizards. The Void ran through them like their very own blood and breath. If they were suddenly cut off from that…

And what made it worse was that Phil was Void Champion. The Void was so much more a part of him than it was for anyone else. To lose such an integral part of himself, even if he was able to survive losing his very own life's blood…would it affect what the Void had done to help him survive Loki's strike, all those years ago? Or any other damage that he might have taken, that the Void had healed? It was too horrible to contemplate.

He couldn't think like that, because then he could very well go mad with the possibilities.

"Do you think that's…" He couldn't even say it aloud.

"I honestly don't know. If one thing about my mind trip through the Reality Stone taught me, that _anything_ is possible. Both the Deep Ways and the Void are so much a part of our world, but that doesn't mean it's a part of other worlds. I…just can't say, Jack. It makes me want to start searching immediately, but I don't know where to begin and I'm just too tired to do any good…"

"You're going to begin by sleeping on the problem," Jack declared. "Then, when you get up, you might have a new perspective on the problem and can deal with it in a better frame of mind."

Ianto didn't say anything, but Jack felt him nod against him. Myfanwy moved a short distance away, cooing sadly, as the immortal helped Ianto to his feet, hugging him tightly before leading him away and up the stairs. He would take care of his husband tonight and then deal with whatever tomorrow brought.

He just hoped tomorrow brought clarity. And a way to save their loved ones.


	76. Chapter 76

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil went to his knees as vertigo swept over him, not even noticing the pain in his knees as they impacted on a hard floor.

It hadn't been like a Teleport spell, not at all. Those, he was used to, and never made him disoriented like this had. He could remember passing judgment on Catherine Hale, and then her daughter, Ruby, had done something…it had to have been magic, but the young woman hadn't been powerful enough to send him somewhere else, not on her own…

Her eyes had glowed red. Then his surroundings had changed.

The place Phil found himself in was gloomy; the only light was from a glowglobe in the ceiling…no, it wasn't a glowglobe, it had none of the aura of magic that they had. This was more akin to the lightbulbs that Baron Tony had created and installed within Castle Ferrous, the ones he'd been hoping to put in the homes of those too poor to afford any of the magical frills that could always be found in the houses belonging to Wizards and the wealthy. To be honest, Phil had always been amazed at what the Baron had been able to come up with, and he hoped that Baron Tony had all the success. Of them all, the Baron had the most chance of changing the world for the better, the Wizard was convinced.

The room was apparently some sort of storage area, with shelves made of…he flicked his fingernail against the nearest one, and discovered that it was metal. The shelves were open, holes molded within the poles at equal distances, where the shelves themselves had been riveted in place. Oddly shaped boxes and strange devices were stacked along them, the boxes with some sort of code written across them in boxy lettering.

They were in an alphabet that was _almost_ like that of his home, but there were some of the letters unfamiliar to him, and Phil found himself wishing for Ianto's translating spectacles.

The walls were a grey color, made up of large bricks of some sort. It wasn't natural stone; they were too uniform in shape, and they were larger than the bricks that were used in homes back in the Western Lands. He couldn't see any sort of mortar between them, but then it could simply be hidden under the grey paint.

But, as strange as his surroundings were, it was the near lack of Void that had him reeling.

There was magic, that he could sense. But the Void…it was as if there were no Void Points anywhere nearby, and that it was only coming into the area around him in drips and drabs, enough to keep him functional but it would be seriously crippling to him if he remained for any length of time. It certainly wouldn't help to replenish the Void he carried within his body, and he was glad that he had what he'd taken from Catherine Hale, because he could use it as a reserve if it came down to that.

He had the feeling he was going to need it eventually.

Lola's mental concern poked at him, and Phil searched for her, finding her just down the aisle from him. She had managed to get herself sent with him, which was both good and bad; he was man enough to admit he didn't want to be alone in a strange place, one that was almost devoid of Void. However, it would be affecting her as well at some point, through their connection. The last thing he'd ever want to do was hurt Lola, not on purpose.

She cooed at him, then chirped as she bounded around one of the odd shelves. Phil staggered a little to his feet, now noticing that he'd most likely bruised his knees when he'd went down, and followed her.

To find Crystal and Lockjaw one aisle over.

His daughter was curled up in a ball, her dragon resting his wings over her as if he was trying to hide her. The moment Lockjaw saw him and Lola, he wailed in confusion, the sound of it causing Crystal to jerk in surprise.

Phil knelt down beside her, this time more carefully. He gathered her up in his arms, his heart beating hard enough it was a wonder it didn't thunder out of his chest. He vaguely recalled hearing her scream for him, and she must have been caught in whatever magic Ruby had thrown at them.

Gods, she was Void, too.

He had no idea if the lack of Void would affect her quicker since she was so much younger, or because she wasn't as powerful as he was. Phil was absolutely terrified for her, more than he was for himself.

"Dad?" she whimpered against his chest.

"I'm right here, sweetheart," he comforted her, rocking her slightly.

"I don't feel so good."

He didn't either, but wasn't about to admit that to the six-year-old. "We're going to be alright." It was a lie, of sorts, because if they weren't found they wouldn't be alright for long. He didn't want to scare her more than she already was, and he could tell she was just from the way she was trembling in his arms.

Phil knew they needed to get out of there, but he didn't know where to go. Without any idea of where they actually were, leaving this place seemed like a risky endeavor. But they couldn't stay there, either. They needed to find a way to get home, to leave this Void-less place, and to find their way back to Clint and Daisy.

Determined, Phil got to his feet, clutching Crystal close, not wanting to upset her more than she already was. Glancing down at Lockjaw, he said, "We can't risk you teleporting us anywhere. We don't know where we are, and we don't have any idea how far away from home we are."

The little dragon chirped in what sounded like agreement. Phil really wished it would be as simple as just letting Lockjaw take them back to the Keep but, while he could always teleport back to somewhere he's been, none of them had any clue if they were even within his range which, to be completely honest, they really had no clue what that range was. He was able to take them from the Keep to wherever that valley had been, but Phil didn't know where that had been. It could have been on the far side of the moon for all he knew.

He found the door on the far side of the room. It looked fairly normal; painted wood with a metal knob, although the plate around the knob was a little chunkier than usual and there was an odd sort of box on the wall next to the door. There were squares on it, set in four rows of three, the numerals one through nine on them with the zero alone at the bottom between a couple of symbols the Wizard didn't recognize. There was also a dark rectangle over the squares, with nothing on it at all.

It was odd, and Phil didn't give it much of a glance as he reached out for the knob.

The door was locked.

He rattled the knob in frustration. Phil knew a couple of good Unlocking spells, but he didn't dare use them. His magic here was finite, and the last thing he wanted to do was to leave himself defenseless by using up the Void that still hummed within him.

Still, they were trapped, and only magic was going to get them out of that room. He couldn't hope that someone would come along and help, because no one could have known they'd suddenly just appeared here, and there were no wards around the room to warn of intrusion. The Wizard couldn't even be sure the people – if there were other people around – were friendly, and would even be willing to help.

So, they truly were on their own.

If they were going to be getting out of that room, Phil was going to have to risk using his store of magic.

The door opened easily under this magic. Phil could actually _feel_ the Void leaving him, and he realized he'd never really felt that sort of draining before because the Void would always replace what he'd used, even when he overextended himself. Now, it wasn't, and he could keenly feel the loss of it.

They needed to get home as soon as they could. Phil might have had a goodly supply of magic, but it wouldn't last for long if he had to keep using it. And there was no guarantee that he wouldn't, if they found themselves in a hostile area. Phil would gladly expend every bit of his magic to save his daughter, but that would leave him defenseless to protect her in a strange place, and that was the very last thing he wanted to do.

He could sense Lola's worry through their bond. She would know the truth, she had been his companion since he'd turned seven, and had stayed by his side even through the worst of his excesses. Phil would never dream of hiding anything from her. Not that he could, but he wouldn't even ever attempt to try.

The door opened out into a wide corridor, constructed of a more familiar sort of red brick than the blocks of the room they'd just left. Snugging Crystal close and supporting her in one arm, Phil edged out into the hall, looking both ways.

The ceiling was a classic archway, with pipes and what looked like some sort of metal framework running along it. There were lights hanging also from the ceiling, in conical fittings, and they were a bit brighter, illuminating the hallway in both directions. There was still no sensation of magic about the place, but the air smelt strange, with just a hint of ozone and staleness, and it tickled Phil's nose a little, not enough to cause him to sneeze.

On the wall at one end of the corridor was an odd coat of arms. It was a stylized bird, wings outspread, within two concentric circles, with words within the boundaries of the two circles in that combination of letters that were both the same and yet different. It was unlike any coat of arms that Phil had ever seen, which just reinforced the notion that they weren't in the Western Lands anymore. It certainly didn't help him pinpoint where they'd ended up.

The corridor was deserted, which Phil thought odd. Surely, if this was some sort of castle – which he thought likely the case, just from the size of the place so far – there would be servants or residents going about their business? Why was this place so empty?

Well, there was nothing for it. As uncomfortable as Phil was feeling about the entire situation, he was going to have to leave the room they'd appeared in, if he was to get any other information on where they were, and how to get home again. Hitching Crystal a little higher on his hip, he took that first full step out into the hallway, his magical senses fully extended, Lola on alert and moving to cover Lockjaw, in order to protect the younger dragon if needed. He itched to draw his wand; he really didn't need it, since his magic was so usually so tightly under his control., but it felt almost like a comfort to him.

Instead, he reached for his ceremonial dagger. He couldn't risk depleting his magic any more than it already was, and he knew how to use the weapon effectively, if just not as easily. It wouldn't do as much against a sword or spear, but it made him feel a lot less defenseless.

Choosing a direction at random – toward that coat of arms, wanting to get a closer look at it – Phil walked slowly down the corridor. There were other doors along the way, all of them closed, and he sincerely hoped there wasn't anyone waiting beyond them, ready to strike. He felt completely wrong-footed, and knew he wouldn't last long in a fight with a trained warrior.

He made a mental note to get Clint to give him a little weapons training when they got back.

_If_ they got back.

No, he couldn't think that way. They would find a way home, back to Clint and Daisy. He couldn't consider any other outcome.

He was perhaps fifteen paces away from the end of the hall and at the cross-corridor beyond, when his instincts began yelling at him that something was seriously wrong, not that he'd already figured that out already.

The scuff of a footstep sounded from the cross corridor.

There were guards waiting for them.

Phil's heartbeat ramped up, adrenaline flooding his system and making him hypervigilant. He turned his body a little, so that Crystal was somewhat hidden behind his torso, and took another step forward. His magic was rising, and he had to fight not to push it back down; he might have been limited in power, but he wasn't about to let anyone hurt his daughter. Not while he had strength to fight.

When he'd been the Dark One, he'd only relied on his magic. He hadn't needed anything else. With the hindsight that comes with distance and maturity, Phil understood that that had been really arrogant of him…and that arrogance had led to his first death. However, after that death, he'd retired to raise Daisy, and hadn't needed any sort of self-defense lessons despite Melinda wanting to get him into her teaching clutches. He'd had no issue with her working with Daisy, but Phil had been convinced he hadn't needed that sort of combat training.

Shit.

Well, he hadn't considered that, one day, he would to end up in a situation where his magic was practically untouchable. The Wizard had to admit that was _also_ pretty arrogant of him, really.

There was only one thing he could do.

"I know you're there," Phil called out. "You might as well show yourselves."

It was as if the world was holding its breath. Phil knew _he_ was. He wasn't about to risk his daughter in a fight, so this was the best thing he could come up with to avoid that. Perhaps giving himself up would prevent anything bad from happening.

"I'm putting my weapon down." He suited action to words, dropping the dagger to the weird stone floor with a clatter that had Crystal jumping a little in his grasp at the sharp noise. "I have a child with me, please don't hurt her."

It was deathly silent for a moment, but then a man came around the corner. He was tall, with a beak of a nose, and was dressed oddly in blue trousers made of a material that looked a bit like cotton, a dark shirt that was of a design he'd never seen before, and he had a strange object in his hands that was pointed right at Phil, that the Wizard guessed was a weapon of some sort but he couldn't figure out how it would work.

The man's dark eyes widened almost comically as he took in Phil and Crystal and the two dragons. Phil got the distinct impression this person had never seen a dragon before, which was yet another piece of the puzzle of where they'd ended up. Although he still couldn't see what the image of the puzzle was.

He sent caution to Lola, although he most likely didn't need to; his dragon was canny enough without him warning her off. However, she would need to watch Lockjaw, because the younger dragon wasn't all that used to being in danger. They had to make sure he wasn't going to teleport them anywhere blindly. They could end up in a far worse situation than they were in now.

A woman followed the man around the corner. She had short-cropped dark hair, and was wearing a leather jacket and the same sort of trousers that the man had. She also had one of the weapons, metal with an opening at one end. Perhaps it was some sort of projectile weapon? Did something come out of that round hole? Phil really didn't want to test that theory.

Her eyes widened as well. "Director?" she asked.

Well, that wasn't a word he'd ever heard before, although he did recognize the base word, 'direct'. Maybe she was trying to tell him to do something?

But they must have understood him when he'd told them that he was disarming himself. That was when they'd approached.

Phil was perplexed by the whole situation he'd found himself and Crystal in. Nothing he was seeing and hearing was really helping him figure out what was going on. He would have to wait and see about getting more information before he made any sort of conclusion.

Still, he could be polite and introduce himself. And hope they understood him.

"I am Phil Coulson, Grand Master of Void Order of the Wizard's Guild." That had the man tilting his head in confusion, while the woman actually lowered that…well, he was pretty sure it was a weapon now…a little. "This is my daughter, Crystal, and our dragons. Lola is mine, and Lockjaw is Crystal's. Can you please tell me where we are?" It couldn't hurt to ask.

Neither of them answered him directly; however, the woman touched her ear and said, "I think you need to get down here, Sir, and see this for yourself."

Phil was intrigued. Was it some sort of speaking stone? He hadn't sensed any magic in her action, and yet it was obvious she'd just distance-spoke to someone. And who would put a speaking stone in their ear, anyway?

Something in his face must have communicated his interest, because the man tilted his head slightly, revealing a small dark _something_ slid into his ear.

Phil couldn't help himself; he leaned forward a little, still unconsciously keeping his body between the strangers and Crystal, examining as best he could the tiny thing in the man's ear. "That is fascinating," he murmured. "What sort of magic powers it? I can't sense it at all…" Perhaps magic was different there, and it was of a type he simply couldn't see? That seemed impossible, and yet…it was the only explanation he could come up with.

The man glanced over at his cohort, and she shrugged. "It's not magic," he answered, his accent a bit like that of the Western Lands, and yet slightly different, "it's technology."

Phil's eyebrows rose in surprise. Technology? "How is that possible? Not even Baron Tony has managed to come up with something like that, and he's the genius of our age…only I'll never say that in front of him…"

"Dad," Crystal mumbled into his shoulder, "can we go home now?"

He wrenched his attention away from the very notion of something so small being technical, and back to his daughter. "Soon, sweetheart," he told her, even as he wasn't entirely sure how that was going to happen. He used his free hand to stroke down her back gently. "Try and sleep."

"Okay." She snuggled down against him, relaxing until she was sleeping, her exhaustion and weakness winning out over fear.

"I'm sorry, but this place…I don't know where we are, and it's affecting both mine and Crystal's magic."

If this place was powered by technology and not magic, that would certainly explain the near-lack of magic here. It was a bit frightening yet, at the same time, miraculous. This place had managed to survive and advance without even the most basic of magic, and Phil would have wanted to explore everywhere, except for the sure and certain knowledge that he and Crystal were doomed the longer they stayed there.

"Can you tell me where we are?" he sounded like he was pleading…which he was. With all of the upset and confusion, Phil had managed to completely lose his calm nature. It was strange…he'd been so bothered by the fact that he was now functionally immortal, and yet now he was terrified that he was going to die here, in this place where he didn't know anyone or anything, that existed on technology and not magic. He was more scared for Crystal, to be fair, but that didn't lessen the feelings any by recognizing them for what they were. He wanted to go home, to Clint and Daisy and their friends and extended family, to his books and Artifacts and his Novices and even to the politics he was just learning to navigate within the Wizard's Guild. This place wasn't his home, and it would eventually kill them both if they stayed.

Lola leaned against him, offering him her support and love. She knew, if anything happened and Phil died, that she wouldn't live long past him. That was the blessing and the curse of being a Wizard's dragon; not that she would want to go on after he was gone, anyway. It was something that all dragons accepted when they chose to bond themselves to a Wizard.

In a way, it was her acceptance of what could very well be the inevitable that soothed Phil's rapidly fraying nerves. Taking a mental step backward, he realized that he was much more afraid for Crystal than he was for himself. She was an innocent, six years old, and he'd saved her from a certain death only to see her trapped in this place with him. He'd only been her Dad for a couple of weeks…it wasn't fair that it should end this way.

No.

He couldn't give in to despair. He had to keep going, for her and for himself and Lola and Lockjaw. He had to trust Ianto and Stephen to find them, and to figure out a way to bring them home before it was too late.

"Please." He took a deep breath. "I need to know where we are, so I can try to figure out a way to get back home. This place…the lack of Void is eventually going to kill us. We've been cut off from it, and a Wizard is their magic, it's a part of them, like their blood. If we don't get us back, we're going to die here, and the last thing I want is for my child to suffer like that."

"We'll do what we can to get you home."

The voice was behind him, and Phil turned to regard the man who'd managed to sneak up on him.

And his jaw dropped in shock.

The man was in more of the strange clothing, only this was closer to what Phil was used to: a suit jacket and trousers, with only the shirt being a bit different. The left arm was in a sling, and to Phil's surprise he could tell that the hand and part of the man's arm were missing.

He had thinning brown hair, and blue eyes, which were kind and yet vaguely confused by what had to have been Phil's and Crystal's appearance. Those same eyes widened a little when Lola chirped at him in greeting, Lockjaw echoing it once Lola had approved of the man's presence.

And, for Phil, it was like looking into a mirror.

"Good day," his doppelganger greeted politely. "My name is Phil Coulson, and I'm the Director of SHIELD. Welcome to our planet."


	77. Chapter 77

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"Good morning, Mother," Thor greeted.

He had stayed the night in Triskelia, in hopes of word of Loki would arrive. He also wished to discover if it was possible to retrieve Grand Master Phil and his daughter from wherever they had been sent, and would remain available if needed.

Unfortunately, the night had been quiet. Too quiet. Thor had found himself unable to sleep, and had wandered the streets of Triskelia Town much as he had during his stay in New Andrade. What he had seen, even in the darkness before the town roused itself, had been a prosperous place, and he recalled what he had heard of the state of the Barony before Baron Nick had taken over. If those stories had been even half-truths, then the Baron had done much good for his people in taking the Barony away from its last ruler. He had been much impressed, and vowed to remain on good terms with the Western Lands once he became King, as it had such good and strong people within it, protecting its citizens from threats within and without.

Oh, he was no fool and knew that there would be bad amongst the good, but so far that good had outweighed the bad. Although, the bad was certainly bad enough.

Frigga's image smiled at him from the small, handheld mirror. _"Good morning, Thor. You are well?" _She frowned, seeing the shallow cut on his forehead that he hadn't bothered to get seen to by a healer. It had been minor, and itched this morning. It was nothing and he could ignore its presence.

"I am, indeed, well. Yesterday I saw battle with several trusted new shieldmates in my search for Loki…"

He explained to her what had occurred the day before, about receiving word of Loki's whereabouts and going to retrieve him. He described the battle with his less than usual florid movements; however, he had no wish to make his mother dizzy by tossing the mirror hither and yon.

From her expression, Mother thought of the battle as thrilling and her eyes were fond as he told of his fight with the Bilgesnipe, and Thor took great joy in entertaining her. "And I was able to request that the head be prepared and saved for me by the Knights of Olympia," he finished. "Lady Sif shall be quite jealous that I was able to take down one of the mythical creatures."

_"__It sounds as if you have found worthy warriors to fight beside." _Her voice was full of approval. _"And what of your brother?"_

Thor turned grave. "He managed to elude me in the heat of the melee. And, I believe he was responsible for the disappearance of Grand Master Phil, as well as the Grand Master's own daughter."

He continued the explanation, telling her of the discovery that Grand Master Phil and his child had been, somehow, exiled to another realm by the magical stone that had somehow taken over the young Novice, Ruby Hale.

"I cannot prove it, but I know Loki…and he is quite capable of convincing a child to touch an unknown magical Artifact in order for it to take her over and let it use her to its own advantage."

_"__Your brother has as ever had a silver tongue," _his Mother agreed sadly. _"Is there any hope for the child?"_

"I know not, Mother. As you know, I am not as well-versed in magic as you and Loki are." Yes, he was able to wield Mjolnir, and the hammer was a mighty Artifact, yet that did not mean he understood its workings. Mjolnir had an enchantment upon it so that only those worthy could call it, and only after many trials was he able to gain its favor.

_"__Perhaps I should offer the aid of Asgard's healers. They are well-versed in magical injury."_

"That would be most generous, Mother. You should apply to Grand Master Stephen Strange; he was the one who was to arrange to the care of Novice Ruby. Alas, he did not think there was much hope, as the Artifact was quite powerful and damaged her mind most severely."

_"__Artifacts are not to be trifled with. If, indeed, Loki was responsible for convincing her to take on the Artifact, then he does have one more thing to answer for."_

For the longest time, Thor had held the hope that, someday, Loki would be redeemed of his evil deeds. That he would see the error of his ways, and would accept responsibility for his actions. However, if what he believed of his brother was true, and that he was directly responsible for the harming of Ruby Hale – no matter the fact that she had been a part of an evil cabal, she had still been but a youngster – then Thor did indeed despair of Loki ever coming back from this single action.

Yes, it was indeed possible that Loki had not known just how powerful the Artifact was. Thor was aware that his magic had been greatly diminished during his battle with the Dark One. Had he not been able to discern the power of the Artifact? Or was Thor simply still seeing what he thought might have been some sort of misguidedness in his brother?

Still, Loki had absconded during the battle. If he had been truly innocent of intentional harm, then he would have stayed. Thor had to set aside the love for his brother and consider Loki a prisoner in flight, and search for him accordingly.

_"__Thor," _Mother's voice broke him from his thoughts, _"there is something you need to know…your Father has seen through our ruse of a hunting trip and wishes for you to stop your search and return home."_

That…was certainly something that Thor had been not been expecting.

"But, Mother! We cannot leave Loki to his own devices! He is now responsible for injuring an innocent and possibly the cursing of two others. He must be held accountable for those acts, as well as the acts he was originally imprisoned for. Does Father not understand how this would appear to our allies?" Was Odin so far gone to his illness that he could not see how damaging such an act would be?

Thor had always looked up to his father. He had studied statecraft at his knee. Odin had always seemed a stern but just ruler. But this…he had changed, and it had to have been due to the growth that the healers had discovered in his brain.

_"__There was much argument against his order. Lady Sif and Captain Valkyrie especially, decried the edict. But your Father would not be swayed. I did try, but Thor…the time for him to step down from the throne of Asgard is nearing, and I see him fighting that inevitability, tooth and nail. I would wish for his dignity to remain intact. However, I am not certain that alternative exists anymore."_

That saddened Thor. His Father had been a wise and worthy King, and this degradation of his mental faculties seemed unfair after a long life of service to Asgard. Still, this was ever the way of things; life waxed and waned, men and women would grow into themselves and then begin to fade away. Still, the Prince was not quite ready for that to happen to his father. And, that was not because he felt unprepared to take the throne.

Indeed, he _did_ feel unprepared, but then Thor sincerely doubted anything who would become a ruler felt ready for it when the time came.

"Mother." He straightened his shoulders, even though she would not have been able to see him do it. "I cannot, in good conscience, abandon the duty I have taken upon myself to find Loki and bring him to justice."

She smiled at him proudly. _"I understand, my son. And I support you fully. I will do my best to forestall any action that your father may take at this disobedience." _Frigga's smile turned sly. _"He has no idea that I had gifted you a speaking mirror when you departed. So, if I cannot get in contact with you…"_

Thor chuckled, although he disliked his mother lying to Father with such blatant intent. However, it would give him the time he needed to continue his hunt for Loki and, perhaps, he would be able to find his wayward brother and return him back to Asgard.

It would also give him the opportunity to observe these champions he had found himself fighting alongside. And, if he could aid in the location of Grand Master Phil and his younger daughter, then he would do everything within his power to do just that.


	78. Chapter 78

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy looked out over the traveling show, interested despite the terror that really hadn't gone away ever since her Dad and sister had vanished.

Clint stood beside her. Her other Dad was just as scared as she was yet, he seemed to have some sort of idea of how they might be able to find Dad and Crystal. He'd had a talk with her about it last night, after Idris had shown up to speak to their dragon guest. It made sense to her; she guessed that this soul bond thing was a bit like magical Contamination, in that it connected two people together instead of a person and an Artifact or two Artifacts. When Clint had contacted Stephen that morning, he'd been intrigued by the idea, and had promised to do some research on it while they waited for Ianto to recover. Daisy was antsy, wanting to find their missing family members as soon as possible, but she did understand magical exhaustion, and knew she couldn't rush Ianto's recuperation.

Still, her mind was conjuring up all sorts of scenarios that Dad and Crystal and their dragons could have landed in. Had they been completely cut off from their magic? Were they in danger, and unable to get out? Dad would do everything in his power to protect Crystal, and Clint had said that the Queen of Air and Fire could still sense Lola and Lockjaw, even though they were very far away and unable to communicate with her. So, that was at least some good news, but it did nothing to ease her own fears.

When Clint had told her he was going back to talk to his brother, Daisy had insisted on coming along. Staying at the Keep with nothing to do wasn't something she felt she could do. She really needed something to keep her occupied, and hanging around at home wasn't going to help.

That had led Clint to confiding in her something else that had happened, the last time he'd gone to the traveling show.

Clint had explained what he'd been told by the woman calling herself Ashildr, and just who she was. Daisy had, at first, been rattled by that; it was bad enough that Dad was now effectively immortal, but now her other father…and Clint hadn't even had a chance to talk it over with Dad yet, to see what he thought of the situation.

But, as she thought about it, Daisy had realized that this would be the best thing, really. She was aware that Dad would eventually lose them all…her, and Crystal, and Medusa whom he hadn't met yet, as well as Uncle Nick and Aunt Nat and everyone she and Crystal had adopted into their family. He would be alone, and that was something she didn't even want to contemplate. Yes, he would have Jack and Ianto, but they weren't the same as Clint.

But Clint…he could be with Dad forever. Neither of them would ever lose the other. That was something Daisy could certainly get behind.

She'd given him her full support and blessing. Clint had seemed a little shocked by it. Daisy got the feeling she was going to have to reinforce her agreement with the idea a couple more times before her other Dad understood that she was being completely serious. Anything that would make Dad's life a little better after they were all gone, she was all for it.

They'd left Medusa behind at the Keep, with Andrew and Melinda. She'd wanted to come as well, but Clint had put his foot down; she wasn't a member of the family yet, and it wouldn't do if something happened to her while she was with them. Medusa hadn't been happy – Daisy suspected she was like her, in that Medusa was just as worried about Crystal as they all were, and wanted to be distracted – but Andrew had taken her and Addie in hand and declared he'd wanted to check on her level of schooling and to have a doctor come in and check her. If they were going to adopt her, like Clint had said they would, then everything would need to be documented before they stood up in front of Baron Alexander and petitioned for the adoption.

Not that Daisy thought the Baron would give them trouble; after all, he'd let them adopt Crystal as well, and it wasn't as if Sir Napoleon hadn't been searching for the missing older sibling that Crystal had believed she'd had. While she hadn't been in on any of the meetings Sir Napoleon had had with Dad and Clint, Daisy was willing to bet that they'd discussed adopting the other sister if she was found and was adoptable. They hadn't talked to her about it, though, but the young Wizard was willing to bet it was because they hadn't wanted to get her hopes up, in case they couldn't find her.

It was hilarious that Daisy had been the one to do that. Although, she supposed it was more Medusa finding _her_. She firmly believed Medusa when she'd said that she'd had no idea that Daisy's family had adopted Crystal, and that Catherine Hale had pretty much poisoned her against the family in her effort to convince Medusa to lead Daisy into a trap. Medusa was just a kid, for the Heavens' sake, and wasn't capable of such machinations.

When they got Dad back, he was going to have a fit. A good one, but a fit all the same.

But, for now, Daisy was with Clint, who had begun to stride toward the camp, heading in the direction of several wagons that must have been where the workers slept.

The young Wizard followed, her eyes taking in her surroundings. Dad had once taken her to a show like this, about five years ago, and Daisy had come out of it with a stuffed dragon that she still kept in her room. Skye actually loved to cuddle with it, which was hilarious. It was as if her dragon was trying to dragon pile with it.

Lucky had taken to the air, while Skye stayed on Daisy's shoulders, as she prone to doing when in a new place. It wasn't that she was nervous by the new surroundings. It was because Skye wanted to stay close in case she needed to defend her Wizard for something jumping out at them. It didn't matter that Daisy could protect herself, that was just Skye. Well, today she was still a bit tired from yesterday, although not to the extent that Ianto was. But then, all Daisy had done was blast things. Ianto had actually wrestled what was being called the Reality Stone out of its unwitting host and back into that spooky rock it had been stuck in for ages.

The traveling show wasn't open yet, so there wasn't any of those scents and smells that Daisy could half-remember from her one and only visit. There was quite a bit of bustling, as the workers prepared for the next show, and she wondered if she could talk either of her Dads into bringing her and the girls back when this was all over.

It didn't escape her that she wasn't doubting that Crystal would be back. She couldn't allow herself even the slightest bit of doubt; that would break her completely.

As they approached the wagons, one of them opened and Toshiko emerged. Daisy smiled. She genuinely liked the Elven woman, and was glad to see her. She'd known that Jack had left her there when he'd come back to join the fight in the valley, along with two others, mercenaries that had been friends with Clint. Well, one had actually been married to her other Dad at one point, so Daisy was wondering if she could get some embarrassing stories about him from her.

"Is there any word?" was the first thing Toshiko asked.

Clint shook his head. "No, but we might have a way to track Phil and Crystal down. Stephen is looking into it."

"Good." She looked relieved.

"Anything going on here?"

"Not a thing. I heard from Jack, and he's thinking we'll hang out here for a little while longer and, if there's no sign of Loki, the coast might be clear for us to head back home. We know Loki is still out there, but I sincerely doubt he'll be coming after an entire traveling show. He doesn't seem to have the resources anymore, apparently."

That made sense. They'd been primarily worried about Loki and Hydra working in concert but, when the Hales in custody, there was no one else in their cabal at the loose. Daisy supposed they could have recruited more, but would there have been time? No, Daisy had to think that they'd managed to cut off Hydra's last head, and that the traveling show was now as safe as it could be.

"Hey, Clint."

The woman who'd spoken was blonde, with dark eyes. In Daisy's considered opinion, she was really good looking, and she could understand why Clint would have fallen so hard for her that he'd married her…if this was Bobbi Morse, that was. Daisy was inclined to think she was, because she'd come out of the same wagon as Toshiko had.

She was followed by a scruffy-looking man who looked as if he hadn't shaved in days, and the subsequent beard would never be his best feature. This must have been Lance Hunter. Daisy couldn't understand why anyone would have chosen him when they could have had Clint…

And, ew. She'd just thought of her other Dad that way.

"Hey, Bobbi." And that was confirmed. "This is my eldest daughter, Daisy."

"Nice to meet you." Bobbi smiled pleasantly. "It's good to know Clint's finally settled down enough to get himself a family. Thanks for that."

It was obvious that she truly cared, so Daisy was more inclined to like her. "I'm hoping you can tell me some good stories of when you and Clint were together. I need more blackmail material for when I screw up and he wants to be all paternal about it."

Clint pointed a finger at Bobbi. "Don't. Just, don't."

Bobbi managed to look totally innocent and yet like she was up to something at the same time. Daisy was going to have to practice that expression.

Hunter's face, which had been a bit sour, suddenly turned sympathetic. "We heard what happened, mate," he said, his accent very much from United Kingdom, although Daisy didn't know from what area. It was different from both Jemma and Leo's, which probably meant he was from somewhere that wasn't where they'd been born and raised. "I hope you can find your Phil and Crystal fast."

Jack must have said something when he'd contacted Toshiko. That didn't surprise Daisy, because Toshiko was Clint's friend, too, and would have wanted to know. She was Jack's Second as well, and the young Wizard doubted there wasn't much Jack _didn't_ tell her.

"We're working on it." Clint was uncomfortably grateful. He turned to Toshiko. "You seen Barney around?"

Toshiko nodded. "He went out to work a little bit after breakfast. Laura might know better where he is."

"And Ashildr?" It was almost as if Clint was dreading that answer.

"She vanished. But then, she's prone to just showing up whenever we least expect it."

"Alright." He straightened his shoulders. "I'm guessing Laura is in her wagon."

"She was the last time I saw her, and that wasn't that long ago." Toshiko now had that sympathetic expression, which Daisy supposed it was for two reasons, not just the one.

Clint had told her about his brother, and what Barney had done to him. Gods, she'd thought her own history had been shit, but his had been must worse. Still, Barney had come to help them when he hadn't needed to, and she could tell that Clint really didn't know what to think about that. She knew he'd have to have it out, to get some sort of understanding that didn't have to do with some sort of prophecy that said he'd somehow regain his respect for the older Elf.

She could completely get behind the need for answers. At some point, she was going to have to get her own, from the woman who gave birth to her. Not that she was all so sure Jiaying knew the truth if it bit her in the ass, but Daisy would have to try, if only for her own peace of mind.

And she was hoping that Dad would be back by the time it came to that. She'd really want both her fathers with her when she did it.

Clint left the group, and Daisy followed him, curious about the woman who'd married the man who'd done so much to her other Dad and yet could have forgiven him for it. The wagon he was heading toward larger than most of the others, and brightly painted. It looked quite homey on the outside, and Clint rapped on the closed door to announce their presence.

The woman who opened the door was pretty, with dark hair and eyes. She smiled when she saw it was Clint standing there. "Please, come in." Her eyes darted toward Daisy, and her smile widened a little. "And this must be one of your daughters." She ushered them into the wagon, which seemed to be a little bigger on the inside, or maybe it was just how things were arranged; there certainly wasn't any magic involved. "I'm Laura Barton," she introduced herself once they were inside and the door closed once more.

"Daisy. Daisy Barton-Coulson. And my dragon is Skye."

Clint started a little at that, which made Daisy a little sorry that she hadn't mentioned her decision about the name change. She hoped he thought it was alright.

She needn't have worried about him objecting, judging from the bright smile he gave her.

"It's nice to meet you, Daisy," Mrs. Barton – actually, her Aunt Laura, once Daisy thought about it – said sincerely. Then she turned to Clint. "You're looking for Barney. He's down at the practice field. He decided that his skills had gotten rusty and wanted to work on them a little, with Kate's help."

"Why did he do it, Laura?" he asked. "Why did he go with me?"

"Because he's your brother. And, despite what happened between you, he does still love you. He's just been waiting for a way to show you."

Clint sighed heavily, and Daisy couldn't help herself…she hugged him. She was going through her own version of family drama but, knowing the full story, she understood that what Clint was dealing with was worse than suddenly discovering your birth mother had somehow gone crazy and become an undead creature. At least Barney – and she wasn't going to start calling him Uncle Barney until she felt he deserved it – was trying to make up for the shit he'd done. Jiaying just kept ranting about how she was Daisy's mother and how they belonged together without actually giving any sort of reason _why_ they did.

"Why don't I entertain Daisy and Skye," Laura said, "and you go and speak to your brother? I'm sure you have words you want to say that you might not want your daughter to hear."

Daisy wanted to protest. She didn't want Clint to have to face this on his own, because she knew he was hurting and confused and she needed to support him. But, she also knew this was something he really needed to do on his own, and that having her there would embarrass him, and he'd most likely hold back on her account.

So, she stayed quiet as her other Dad nodded reluctantly. "If you don't want to stay…" he was offering her a way out, and Daisy loved him even more for it.

"I'll be fine," she waved it off. "And, I can always find Toshiko and the others if I need to." She didn't want him to worry about her, on top of having to face his brother again.

Clint leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. It wasn't the first time he'd done that sort of thing, but it still felt as special as if it was. Daisy hoped she'd never take those little gestures for granted, because she adored each and every one of them.

Lucky was making cutesy cooing noises, but then Daisy had learned almost right away that the dragon was just a big ball of mush. She laughed and rubbed his snout, which she also knew would make her his friend for life, if she wasn't already.

It suddenly occurred to her that Lucky was what Clint would have been like if he'd been raised in a loving home. That he would have been tactile and silly and always showing his affection in lots of different ways. Oh, but the One Mother had known exactly what she was doing when she'd gifted Lucky to Clint…as a reminder of what he could be again with a family around him who loved him as much as he loved them.

If she ever met Idris, she was going to thank her for what she'd done.

"I'll be back soon," Clint promised.

"No rush," Daisy assured him. "I'm sure Aunt Laura and I can keep ourselves occupied."

Both Clint and Aunt Laura looked surprised at her claiming Laura as family, although Aunt Laura seemed to be moreso than her other Dad. Honestly, she had nothing against the older woman; it was her husband who needed to make up all sorts of things to Clint and, by extension, to the rest of the family. She wasn't going to hold it against her new aunt for what had happened before she'd married Barney Barton.

With that, Clint left them alone, Lucky following on his heels. As the door shut behind him, Aunt Laura turned to smile at her. "I have to admit, I thought it would take a lot more to get you to call me aunt."

"Well, neither Lucky nor Skye hissed at you, which already gives you a leg up in my opinion. Besides, it just seemed right."

"Thank you for that." She motioned Daisy over to one of the couches. "Can I get you anything? I have coffee or tea."

"Coffee's fine." Daisy took the right side couch, and Skye draped herself over one of the young Wizard's shoulders, so that her tail and most of her body was sprawled out along the back of the couch.

There was a carafe on the small desk in the corner, and Aunt Laura poured a fresh mug, handing it over. "How do you take it?"

"Milk and sugar, please."

Once the coffee was fixed to Daisy's liking, Aunt Laura sat next to her, turning her body a little so that she faced the young woman, her dark eyes fond as she smiled. "When Clint told us he had a family, I don't think I was expecting an older child."

Daisy took a sip; it wasn't as good as Ianto's, but it wasn't too bad. 'It's a long and complicated story, one that involves several orphanages, a battle, faking a death, and going undercover in an evil Wizard's cabal. Oh, and apparently lots and lots of pining…"


	79. Chapter 79

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Seventy-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Clint left the caravan, turning toward the practice grounds he'd seen on his first visit to the traveling show, his thoughts roiling.

He'd been so angry when Barney had insisted on going with him, after Phil had run off after Daisy. There had been a part of him that had understood why his brother had decided to accompany him; Barney had been looking for a way to atone for what he'd done to Clint all those years ago, and thought it would have been a really good idea to get into a battle that he patently hadn't been prepared for. Barney wasn't a fighter, not like Clint, and would have been a liability on the field.

Still, Clint hadn't stopped him from accompanying him. He still wasn't sure why that was, because it would have been pretty simple to leave him behind when he and Natasha had Teleported to Triskelia. Instead, he'd grumped about it and let Barney come along with.

He really wasn't sure what that said about him.

Had he maybe, unconsciously, _wanted_ Barney to get killed? Clint liked to think he was beyond that sort of shit, that he'd grown up past the need for petty revenge. It chilled him to even consider the idea that he'd wanted Barney to die in that fight.

What sort of parent would he be if that were true?

No, it couldn't be. Clint was too busy being angry at Phil for going off without telling him, like he promised he wouldn't do anymore, to even have had that thought cross his mind. Gods, he really had been so pissed off at his fiancé and too worried about Daisy that revenge against the brother who'd abandoned him had been the very last thing on his mind.

Still, it didn't make him feel any better for not insisting that Barney stay behind. Battle was no place for someone who'd never been in that sort of situation before. Barney should never have been there. Clint had been too wrapped up in his own anger that he hadn't seen that, and it could have been Barney's death.

Instead, if what Stephen had said was true, Barney had been responsible for bringing Ruby Hale down.

He could make out Barney standing down from one of the archery targets, bow drawn, Kate Bishop giving him pointers as he nodded at her words…words that Clint couldn't hear, but from her expression were something along the lines of calling him names and being irritated.

She caught sight of him and Lucky as they neared, and she rolled her eyes at him, obviously including Clint in with Barney's idiocy. "I'm going to yell at you, too," she announced once he was close enough.

Clint shrugged. "I'd deserve it."

Barney relaxed his draw, sighing and dropping his eyes to the ground, as if he couldn't look at Clint. As if he was somehow ashamed to meet his gaze, which didn't make sense but then when had anything having to do with the Barton clan make any sense?

"Gods," Kate huffed, "I can't kick a person when they're down." She practically stomped away, the perfect image of a stroppy teenager, her own bow clutched in a hand that was so tightly wrapped around it that her knuckles were white.

Once she was gone, Clint realized he didn't know what to say. "Don't you think practice would have been a better idea _before_ you'd stepped into a small war with me?" he snarked, falling back on sarcasm in order to cover his feelings…whatever those were, because he really didn't know himself.

"Yeah, maybe," Barney admitted, "only I had no _idea_ I was gonna end up in a small war with you."

He leaned on his own bow. "What did you think was going to happen?"

"I don't know…a rescue attempt that wouldn't have been needed because the man you love is Grand Master of Voids and is supposed to be the most powerful Void Wizard in the world?"

Alright, his brother might have had a point…

"Seems like your bow work was up to snuff. You managed to get an arrow in Ruby Hale."

Barney glanced up then, looking chagrined. "I hit her in the shoulder, but I was aiming at her heart."

"Ouch." Alright, he could see why Barney would want to freshen up his skills, then. A torso was a lot easier to hit than a shoulder.

"I shouldn't have gone," Barney admitted. "All I could think of was your daughter being kidnapped, and the man you're gonna spend the rest of your life with walking into danger to rescue her. Sure, I honestly believed there wouldn't be much for us to do, because who doesn't know that the Wizards in charge of the Guild are the most powerful in the world and I figured he'd have already saved her by the time we got there, but I was ready to help out if that didn't happen. I just…" he swallowed convulsively, "I just didn't expect…_that_. Hells, for most of the fight I took cover behind things and just shot a lot. I was terrified and all I wanted to do was run away."

"But you didn't. And you helped Ianto and Stephen stop Ruby from opening any more portals, which meant there would be an actual end to the fight."

"Yeah, well, all I could think of was getting back to Laura and the kids, and what would happen if I couldn't." His eyes were bleak. "How do you do it, Clint? How do you go into a fight knowing you have family waiting for you at home?"

Clint sighed. He could certainly understand where the angst was coming from. "For a long time, I didn't have that family, so I got into fights because I either wanted to, or was getting paid to. But now…I went into that valley knowing that I was going to protect my loved ones. I have them to fight for, now." He reached out and touched Barney on the shoulder. "You just went into that with the wrong motivation. You thought you were going to prove yourself to me. But, that shouldn't have been why you did it. Barney, my opinion doesn't matter –"

"Yes, it does," his brother said fiercely. "And it should have meant something all along. I just was too young and too stupid to realize it at the time."

In that moment, Clint could really see the changes in his older brother. He could see the man he'd become, after making the worst decision of his life. This was an older, wiser, Barney Barton, one that truly meant it when he claimed he'd searched for his younger brother after leaving him for dead, and who had gone back to Carson's looking for sanctuary and a chance to gain a little forgiveness for what he'd done.

Maybe, just maybe…they could be brothers again.

It was going to take some time, but Clint thought they might actually get there some day.

"Do you have any clues as to where your Wizard and your little girl are?" Barney asked, his voice and eyes concerned.

"We might have a way to locate them." Taking a breath, Clint went on to explain about the soul bond that he and Phil had been developing between them, and how Idris thought it could be used to track Phil across realities.

Barney was shaking his head afterward. "I don't get magic, I admit. But, I do hope it works."

Clint could see just how sincere his brother was.

Lucky could see it, too, because the dragon was suddenly standing next to the older Elf, chirping up at him for attention.

"Aw, Lucky," Clint mock-groaned at the dragon's antics.

Barney chuckled, reaching down a little tentatively and giving Lucky a decent skritch across the top of the head. Lucky leaned into him like Barney was his new best friend, accepting him now that all the words were said. And, as dragons were always excellent judges of character, it was the last nail in Clint's resentment.

It was the truth, everything Barney had said. His brother had been honest, and Lucky had seen it. Not like the first time they'd met, when Lucky had hissed; but then, that could very well have been Clint's own feelings fueling his dragon's dislike for the man who'd almost killed him. That was most likely the fact of the matter, and now Lucky was sensing the archer's softening feelings as well as the honesty in every one of Barney's words.

"Have to admit, this is my first time ever touching a dragon." Barney had gotten this sappy look on his face, one that Clint was very familiar with even if he'd never actually seen it, because it had to be the exact same expression he got when faced with a dragon's unconditional love. "They just seem to avoid me for some reason."

"Dragons can tell a good person from a bad," Clint explained. "It probably wasn't until this moment that you were accepted. Now, you'll have to be on the lookout, because Elves are a version of dragon catnip and they'll never leave you alone."

"Then, I guess I'll just have to live up to Lucky's good opinion."

For some reason, Clint got the impression that wouldn't be a problem, now that Barney had managed to prove himself to Lucky. It would take something spectacularly bad to wipe out the goodwill that his brother had just gained.

It looked like they were going to be just fine.


	80. Chapter 80

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Steve made his way down to the Baronial practice grounds, wanting to burn a little of his frustration off on some of the tilting dummies.

It wasn't frustration over the revelations he'd learned yesterday. Buck had been correct; that he couldn't judge Phil Coulson because of his past. He would give his new friend a chance to explain if he chose to, but in his heart Steve knew that Phil was a good man who'd had a past that he certainly was ashamed of and was trying to make up for. He'd risen to a place of power, become Void Champion, even though he'd never sought it, and had raised a brilliant daughter who was a genuinely good person and who'd adopted both Steve and Bucky as family. He'd saved Steve and Bucky both, and for those acts alone Steve would owe Phil more than he thought he could ever repay.

No, this was because there had been no word on where Phil and Crystal had been sent. He was very worried about both of them, even knowing that Phil would do his best to look out after his younger daughter. He understood they would have to wait for Ianto to recover fully, but there were certain circumstances where the Knight's patience was worn thin, and this was one of those times. There was no way of knowing where they were and, while he was worried for both of them, it was little Crystal he couldn't stop thinking about. That child had been through so much, and to be dumped in an alternate reality with no way of getting home…at least Phil was with her, and he'd protect her.

Steve had never been one for children, if he was honest. But Crystal Barton-Coulson had wormed her way into his heart, as had her elder sister. They were family, if not by blood, and he couldn't help needing to do _something_ but he was totally helpless.

And so, he was going to go and pound some practice posts with his sword, and hope it would wear away that helplessness, if just a little.

Several of the lower ranked Knights were on the field already, being put through their paces by the trainers. Steve had been impressed with several of the trainers that had already been in place with the Knights, and actually had an appointment to meet with the former Knights' Commander, Sir Felix Blake, in two weeks in order to discuss some of the protocols he'd put in place during his time with the Knights. Baron Nick had admitted that he'd been upset that Sir Felix had had to retire after being injured in an accident; the former Knights' Commander had fully supported the Baron when he'd taken over Triskelia from the last Baron. Baron Nick had only nice things to say about Sir Felix…well, Steve had come to realize that a lot of the insults his new boss had for people were actually compliments, although it had taken him a couple of days to work it out. Until that moment of epiphany, he'd honestly believed that Baron Nick had considered Sir Felix an incompetent slacker who hadn't been able to do the job properly.

He'd also been pretty insulting to Phil several times, and Steve had known those two were best friends, on par with him and Buck. That had been the clue that had allowed him to process the seemingly mean-spirited things the Baron sometimes said. It had reminded Steve of how he and Bucky had been with each other, the insults and jibes and lightly thumping each other when the one would consider the other being particularly stupid.

Well, to be fair, Steve had been on the receiving end of that sort of thing more than Bucky, because Steve had been the one who'd always gotten himself into fights he couldn't possibly win.

He glanced around at the sparring Knights, smiling when he caught sight of motion away from the others on the field.

Off in one of the corners of the walled-in training field, Steve could make out Bucky, using one of the fencing posts to work with a sword.

He'd been pretty impressed with Buck's fighting skills, even though he'd been handicapped by the loss of the magical arm and had to have been at a disadvantage. Both Melinda May and Natasha Romanov had covered his bad side, for which Steve had been incredibly grateful.

Buck had a single shortsword in his remaining hand, and Steve had to admit his movements were quite graceful. Someone had provided him with a padded training jerkin, the empty sleeve pinned to the shoulder, to keep it out of the way as Bucky twisted and turned, striking the post squarely with each strike. He couldn't help but move closer, watching his best friend as he spun the sword into a figure eight twist across his body, then reversed the movement and slammed the sword back-handedly into the post once more, the hit sending splinters flying from the wood.

Steve's mouth went dry. It was a response to seeing the deadly fluidity of the man he'd long loved, recognizing that, while Buck had been an excellent swordsman during the Century War, this was above and beyond that skill. This was the Winter Knight, the deadly ghost that had haunted the nightmares of anyone who'd come to know of his existence.

And Clint had come close to defeating the Winter Knight.

Steve made a mental note to arrange some sort of demonstration when they'd gotten Phil and Crystal back and things calmed down a little. If Clint could almost get the better of Bucky with this level of training…

He went back to watching, because he admitted – only to himself – that this Bucky Barnes is absolutely the sexiest thing he'd ever seen, with his long hair tied back from his face, a single dark strand having escaped the leather thong and was flying about his face, which was flushed with exertion and just that little bit sweaty. The sunlight glittered in his sharp pale eyes, as they focused on the post, almost completely ignoring the flashing metal blade that danced about his body.

The gut punch of sheer lust hit Steve like a stave to the abdomen.

Damnit, he couldn't be feeling like this, wanting his amnesiac best friend like he was a cool glass of water in the desert! It was wrong; Buck had never shown any interest when he _could_ remember Steve; what were the chances he'd feel differently now that he had no memories at all of their time together?

Steve had been pushing those feelings down deep for years. Surely, he could do it again.

He tried to give a critical eye to Bucky's sword work. It really was like watching a dance, only one that would kill a person as easily as breathing. Still…

"You might want to rest more of your weight on your back leg," he called out helpfully.

Buck stopped moving, taking a step back from the post. He was panting lightly, and he gave Steve a gimlet stare at the criticism. "Excuse me?"

"You've got a really good stance, but you're not anchoring yourself as fully as you could be. If you plant your rear foot a little more, you'll get more power on the backswing."

His friend nodded thoughtfully. "I'm still not used to fighting with only one arm."

Yes, that made sense. "Well, you've only been without it for how long? You'll get it eventually."

"That's why I'm out here. I noticed in the fight yesterday that I wasn't hitting as hard as I used to." He adjusted his grip on the shortsword. "If I'm going to be of any use, I need to get back to my old fighting level."

"You might never get there, Buck." He hated to admit it, but it was a very distinct possibility. What Bucky had been through…it was unimaginable, and Steve knew that the removal of that magical arm was going to do more than just affect his stance. It was bound to throw everything off, the arm having been so much heavier than a flesh and blood limb, and being cursed to boot.

Plus, all the curses that had been affecting Bucky himself were gone. He would have been especially missing the Berserker curse, which had given him a greater than human strength when he'd fought.

Bucky looked irritated. "I know you're right, but I have to try. Apparently, I've managed to gain a family, and I'll be damned if anything happens to any of them that I could have stopped." With an angry shout, he slammed the blade into the post once more, the blade taking a chunk out of the wood. "Phil and Crystal are out there, somewhere, and I can't do a fucking thing about it!"

"Believe me, I get it. I came down here because I was feeling helpless, and I hoping to beat some of that out with a bit of sword practice."

"He saved us both." Frustration thickened in his friend's voice. "And we can't save him now. Him or that little girl."

"If we're feeling this way," Steve pointed out, "how do you think Clint feels?"

"Yeah." Bucky sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. Then he gave Steve a sly look. "You think you can take me?"

Steve laughed. "I can take you easily, asshole."

"You just keep on thinking that, jerk."

Steve was a little startled by the insult. It had been something that Bucky had called him often, and to hear it now…

He barely had time to get his sword out before Bucky was rushing him, shortsword out and swinging, a sharp grin of challenge on his face.

Steve couldn't help it, he laughed as their swords met with a loud clang. He parried the first blow, then the second, going on the offensive after the third. He could immediately tell that Bucky wasn't striking with the force he would have expected, chalked that up to missing that arm and having to compensate for that loss, and decided he needed to use that to his advantage.

They sparred for a while, Steve letting himself lose track of time in the give and take of the fight. His heart was soaring; he'd never thought he'd have this again, the practice sessions with his best friend and the man he'd loved since they were children, even though Bucky's fighting style had changed dramatically since the last time they'd done this.

Bucky didn't remember, but Steve had faith that he would. After all, he'd called Steve a jerk. That had to mean something.

They eventually took a break, each panting heavily and yet with identical grins on their faces. They'd been fairly evenly matched, even with Buck's attempting to compensate for the changes in his body. His friend had known quite a few dirty tricks that had kept Steve on his toes.

"I have got to get you to train some of the younger Knights and squires," Steve said, drawing in deep breaths in order to get his heartbeat under control. "You've got some moves on you now."

"Sure, if you don't mind a one-armed former assassin teaching your impressionable Knights bad habits."

"There's no such a thing as bad habits in battle," he rebutted. "Use anything that keeps you alive, and fighting dirty can do that."

Bucky's gaze was somewhat lighter than Steve had seen yet. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For giving me a purpose. I wasn't sure what I'd be doing, now that I'm free of Hydra."

Steve stepped into Bucky's personal space, in order to rest a hand on his shoulder, the one that used to have an arm attached, because he wanted to show that that infirmity didn't change how he felt. "We're friends. I know you don't remember it, but there really isn't anything I wouldn't do to help you."

What he _didn't_ say, was that helping Buck now would somewhat mitigate the guilt he sometimes felt for not trying harder to save him. Intellectually, he knew there hadn't been anything he could have done, but that didn't convince his heart of that fact.

Somehow, he got the impression that Bucky knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I need coffee," he said, wanting to avert anything said about the subject.

"Sounds good," his friend agreed. "I wouldn't mind something to eat as well. Built up quite an appetite. You nearly had me a couple of times there."

"Back at ya. Come on, Steward Sharon usually has a pot on the fire and some sort of breakfast food out for whoever straggles in late."

He had to wonder what Sharon would think about Steve Rogers bringing James Barnes into breakfast with him. She was already pretty close to guessing the truth, and he figured it was only due to the fact that Sir Steven Rogers had officially died three hundred years ago that was keeping her from making the obvious leap in logic.

Still, it was going to be entertaining to see how she was going to react.

Steve had a feeling it was going to make him laugh.


	81. Chapter 81

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-One

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"Good morning, Dad," Eirlys greeted, coming into the kitchen.

Jack turned to smile at his daughter. "Good morning, sweetheart." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, then went back to chopping fruit for the salad he wanted to have ready in case Ianto woke up. Fruit seemed to be what his husband liked to eat after a huge expenditure of magic, which was funny since any other time the immortal had to poke him in order to get him to have either fruit or vegetables unless it was a special occasion.

"How's Tad?" She snuck a strawberry off the cutting board as Corona began making noises about wanting one, too. She laughed and passed the dragon one.

"Still asleep. I don't expect him to be getting up anytime soon."

Ianto had fallen asleep almost the moment his head had hit the pillow yesterday. Jack, not wanting to disturb him too much, had left him to it, gone to check in with Toshiko, and then came back in time for dinner. As the Deathless, he really didn't need all that much sleep, but he'd still crawled into bed at some point, just wanting to hold Ianto while he slept. After a couple of hours, Jack had risen and gotten a start on the day, leaving Myfanwy to act as watcher over her exhausted Wizard.

Eirlys nodded, her blue eyes – so much like her Tad's – worried. "I hate it when he tires himself out like this, and it's been too many times lately."

"Once is too many times." Jack felt the same way, although he understood that Ianto Jones was an unselfish sort who would do anything within his power to help others, especially if those others were friends. "This time, I'd even requested he take his bow, and I think he only used it once or twice." And then it had gotten broken, which was a shame. That had been a gorgeous bow, a gift from Toshiko.

"He's always going to use his magic before any physical weapon."

"True." She was right. When Jack had suggested the bow, he'd been taking into consideration the idea that something could have been keeping Phil from using magic, and that it could also affect Ianto. The last thing Jack wanted was for his husband to walk into a situation where he would be defenseless.

"Oh, Their Majesties would like some sort of status report on Loki's whereabouts. The last thing they want is for that crazy bastard showing up here and wreaking havoc."

Jack barely managed to hide his cringe. He really hated audiences before the King and Queen of the United Kingdom. The current rulers were nothing like King Rory and Queen Amelia, or even Queen Melody and King John. Those, Jack could deal with. They'd been friends. Mel had even traveled with his team for a while, using the pseudonym of River Song in order to hide her identity. She'd been like family to Jack, and it hurt a little that her son and daughter-by-marriage didn't feel the same way about him.

That was the curse of being Deathless – those you thought of as family always left you behind, and their descendants almost never felt the same way about Jack as their parents and grandparents had.

"There's not much to tell, really." He shrugged as he continued pitting and slicing the cherries that were also going into the fruit salad. "Loki managed to get away. The Council of Barons will put out word to be on the lookout, and Their Majesties should do the same. Oh, and word will also go out to other countries. Loki most likely won't be able to get very far without being identified."

Well, at least he hoped that was the case. Loki had proved to be really good at illusion; chances were, he could appear as practically anyone. The Wizard's Guild would have the best chance to find him, really.

Eirlys was giving him the eyebrow raise she's inherited from her Tad. She didn't call him on him bullshit, however. There really hadn't been a need to.

She turned suddenly, her eyes flashing in the outward sign of her magic. "Stephen is at the front door."

It was barely out of her mouth when there was a knock. "Do you mind?" Jack asked, holding up the knife and his juice-covered fingers.

Eirlys was already leaving the kitchen, Corona right behind her. Moments later, he could hear her greeting Stephen, although it was just far enough away he couldn't understand what she or Stephen were actually saying. He did manage to catch, "—in the kitchen," which meant his daughter had just pointed their Grand Master friend toward Jack.

Stephen and Eirlys appeared, minus their dragons who were most likely in the front room, enjoying the impromptu dragon pile both Corona and Agamotto would have formed almost immediately. "Good afternoon," the Great Wizard said. The Cloak of Levitation waved its own greeting, then flew off Stephen's shoulders and back down the hall, most likely joining Jack's own cloak on its hook by the front door. The immortal had no idea why the Cloak liked hanging around Jack's so much; it wasn't as if it was sentient, like the Cloak of Levitation was. Ianto swore it was because it smelled of Jack's personal pheromones, but how did a magical garment have a sense of smell?

Well, Jack supposed anything was possible when it came to a wearable Artifact that definitely had a mind of its own.

"Good morning," Jack returned. The smile he gave Stephen wasn't the same as he'd given Eirlys when she'd arrived; but then, Stephen Strange wasn't his child.

"Ianto still asleep, I take it."

"He'll probably be down most of the day."

Stephen nodded, well aware of the effects of magical expenditure. "I was wondering if I could borrow a book from Ianto's study."

Jack knew that wouldn't be an issue; Stephen and Ianto were always lending their magical books to each other. "You know where they are."

"Thanks." Instead of going to fetch the book he wanted, Stephen leaned on the doorjamb, regarding Jack intently, his eyes filled with his own magic.

The perusal didn't make him uncomfortable, but it did make him curious. "What's going on?" Why was Stephen _seeing_ him magically?

"We might have a way to locate Phil."

Jack stopped cutting, turning his full attention on his friend. "How?"

"Through the nascent soul bond he and Clint share."

The immortal set the knife down, considering that idea. Yes, he only knew about such things because of the one he shared with Ianto, and they'd never used it that way before, but he could see where it might work. "Is it strong enough for that?"

"I don't know. But Idris seems to think so."

Eirlys' eyebrows went up, even as Jack was blurting, "You spoke to Idris?"

"Not me. Clint did. She showed up at Shield Keep to speak to our dragon visitor."

Jack should have expected that. Having an otherworldly dragon around would have been a beacon to the Queen of Air and Fire…or else one of the other dragons present had informed her of Iohannes' presence. "And she seemed to think this would work?"

"She did. I wanted to check in the one book Ianto has on soul bonds, even though it's pretty ancient. It might give me some sort of clue as to how to go about it."

That was good news. Jack was really worried about Phil and Crystal, not knowing where they might have ended up. He knew Ianto was even more worried, because there was no way of actually knowing if he and Crystal had been cut off completely from their magic.

"Clint also said that Idris told him that she could still sense Lola and Lockjaw, but that they're too far away for her to talk to. So, if they're still alive…"

"Then Phil and Crystal are, too."

The relief was nearly overwhelming. At least they knew they weren't going to be searching in vain… not that Ianto would have stopped, even if they'd somehow knew both were dead. He would have wanted to bring them home, to take care of them here and, perhaps, to help Phil revive from being cut off from the Void. It had happened before, when Hydra had used that Vibranium chain on him, breaking his connection to the Void and essentially killing the Wizard.

So, there would always be a chance that Phil could be recovered.

Crystal, though…

Jack didn't want to even consider losing that little girl. She was just beginning to regain her life after everything her birth parents had put her through. Any child's death was tragic, but this would have been obscene.

"I'll get that book," Stephen said. "Have Ianto call me as soon as he's able?"

"I'm able now."

Jack started in surprise at his husband's voice. He pushed past Stephen, glancing in the direction of the sound.

Ianto was standing on the stairs, wearing his sleep pants and the silk robe Jack had gotten him several years ago. The immortal had the fleeting thought that Ianto really did look good in red, then he was moving forward, heedless of the fact that he'd been cutting fruit and hadn't washed the juice off his hands. "I didn't expect you to be up yet." His tone was half scolding, half relieved.

"Neither did I." Ianto waved off Jack's offer to help support him, taking the rest of the stairs by himself. He was a little unsteady on his feet, but not enough that there was any sort of fear of his falling. He still looked a little tired, but not to the extent Jack had believed he would, the faint smudges under his eyes the only telling factor of his condition. "But I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, and I felt Stephen and Eirlys, so decided to come down. I also need coffee."

"I didn't finish your fruit salad," Jack apologized. But then, he hadn't expected Ianto to be awake yet.

His husband gave him a warm smile. "I'll make the coffee and you can finish up."

Myfanwy chirped as she moved past, toward the front room, no doubt going in search of the dragon pile that had to be there. Jack laughed, because nothing trumped a dragon pile. Unless it was Clint, but then Elves had that natural chemistry that dragons seemed to adore, Clint moreso really since he would have brought Lucky with him and one more dragon for the pile was always welcome.

Ianto shuffled into the kitchen, Stephen and Eirlys moving out of his way. He made a beeline for the coffee maker, hands moving of their own accord as he said, "Did I hear correctly, Stephen, you wanted to borrow one of my books?"

"Yes, the one you found on soul bonds." The Great Wizard explained about Idris and her comment to Clint about how to find Phil, and how he wanted to research it. As he talked, Jack went back to work on the fruit salad, finishing up the cherries and moving onto the bananas. They didn't get bananas all that often, and were always a treat. If it weren't for Teleport spells, they might not have been able to get the sorts of tropical fruit both men enjoyed.

Ianto leaned against the counter, considering Stephen's words, as the coffee machine burbled at his side. "That makes sense. There are times when I can sense Jack, but I just don't use our bond to find him, since I can easily use a Scrying spell to do the same thing."

"I know you can tell when he dies," Stephen said.

Jack inwardly cringed. That bothered him. It was something he'd never have wished on anyone, let alone the man he loved and would be spending the rest of his immortal life with. Which was why he'd been hoping in vain that Ianto hadn't sensed his death yesterday.

Ianto shot him a glance that told him that he knew what Jack was thinking, and to please stop that nonsense. "We can't use Scrying magic with Phil and Crystal, since they aren't in our world anymore. But," he frowned in thought, "maybe we can use a variation of a Scrying spell, only adapted to trace the bond between Clint and Phil. It's doable, but it's going to take some research."

"Wait," Eirlys cut in, "would it be Scrying magic? Or could you use the Law of Magical Contamination instead? After all, a soul bond really is nothing more than two people contaminating each other on a metaphysical level."

"That is brilliant." Ianto was grinning. "You're exactly right. It's a case of like calling to like, as Daisy once put it. I am totally stealing that for my lectures, because it's so very apt."

Stephen nodded. "I don't know why I didn't consider that. But you're right, Eirlys…both Clint and Phil are contaminating each other, only it's the Void acting as a catalyst for that contamination. We can use the bond to pull Clint toward Phil."

"And we can use the parental bond between Phil and Daisy to bring them back," Ianto added. "That bond is actually stronger, since Daisy and Phil have had years to grow that link. And we're going to need that extra strength to retrieve Crystal, since she hasn't been with the family long enough to gain that contamination."

"You know," Jack drawled, "as exciting as it is to watch you all brainstorm like that," and hot, in Ianto's case, "I'm feeling a little insulted by the fact you're intimating that I've somehow contaminated Ianto with my very presence."

His husband rolled his eyes fondly. "There's no need to feel insulted. I love being contaminated by you."

"Ew," Eirlys gagged overdramatically. "I might be old enough to understand the joys of sex, but there's still something about watching my Dads flirt like that…"

Stephen chuckled. "I think that's a natural response for a daughter, really."

Jack couldn't help himself. He set down the knife and, forgetting that he really did need to wash his hands, reeled Ianto in and kissed him to within an handspan of his near-immortal life. Ianto smiled against his lips. "Your hands are sticky," he chided lightly once Jack pulled away.

The immortal smirked. "You like me sticky."

His Wizard's lips curled up in a teasing smile. "Not in the same way, Jack."

"Let me help you find that book, Stephen," Eirlys said loudly. "We can leave them to whatever they're going to do, but there better not be any sex against the kitchen counters. We prepare food on those."

Both men laughed. "I'm not up to that yet," Ianto replied, pulling away. Jack missed him immediately. "But go, that book is on the third shelf rear in the study. We'll brainstorm ideas after you fetch it, and after I've had coffee and food."

Stephen was shaking his head in fond exasperation as he followed Eirlys toward Ianto's study, leaving the two men alone. "You going to be up to it?" Jack inquired, not having to say what _it_ was.

"I think so. I'm not going back to bed, and that's because I'm very worried about Phil and Crystal. We need to bring them home, Jack. They're still alive now, but there's no telling how long that might last…"

He was right. "Then, let me finish this and I'll let you get to work."

Ianto reached out and grasped Jack's hand, despite the complaint earlier about it being sticky. "Stay."

Jack gave his husband that small, honest smile that was only meant for Ianto's eyes. "Always."


	82. Chapter 82

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil awoke, feeling groggy and sore.

He hadn't slept well at all. Firstly, the bed that these SHIELD people had given him had been hard, not at all like the comfortable bed he had back at the Keep. Secondly, it had been too quiet, no sound of wind or rain lulled him; only this odd, whirring noise happening every once in a while, accompanied by a cold breeze coming from vents near the ceiling, the air that strange, slightly stale scent with the hint of ozone.

But, the most important thing, was that he was sleeping alone.

He might have only been sharing a bed with Clint for a little less than a month, but Phil already was finding it impossible to sleep without his lover hogging the blankets and pinning him down because Clint was a regular octopus who had to be sprawled all over Phil in a way that should have been uncomfortable but, honestly, the Wizard didn't think he'd ever get tired of.

Crystal had been given a cot in the same room, but she hadn't stayed there long. She and Lockjaw had crawled under the covers with him, her nightmares waking her out of a sound sleep every hour or so. It was a flashback to her first nights staying at the Keep, which had smoothed out once she'd truly realized that she wasn't going anywhere, that she now had a Dad and a Daddy and a sister who would always be there for her.

At least she hadn't been transported here alone. Thank the Gods for small mercies.

Lola, also, hadn't slept all that much, content to keep watch over her Wizard and her young charges, and Phil was so utterly grateful to her for it. It had allowed him to get a little sleep himself, knowing that he would need to be fresh for the interrogation to come.

He had seen that his lookalike had wanted to ask them questions then and there, when they'd first come face-to-face, but Phil had asked if it could wait until after they'd gotten some sleep. The man – Director Phil Coulson, as he'd introduced himself – had agreed, much to Phil's relief. He'd needed to regather his strength, and to deal with the shock of meeting an otherworldly counterpart of himself that he should never have seen.

That, more than anything, had convinced Phil that they'd been sent to another reality, and weren't on their own world. That had been…no, he couldn't say it was a shock, because that wasn't a strong enough word. What sort of power could do that?

It had to have been that stone.

He'd sensed it, when he'd arrived in the valley. He'd been pretty sure it was one of the stones that had been showing up, a Reality Stone. That made four of the six that had been prophesied by the UnEarthly Child: Soul, Mind, Power, and now Reality. All of them coming to light like this had to be some sort of sign, and Phil knew he really had to get home now, because all of these powerful Artifacts had to be located and taken out of play. While he wasn't sure the Void wanted anymore of them, since it had two, he would need to talk to Ianto about making the attempt at opening a Cardinal point and tossing a couple in. That way, they would be out of the way of any unscrupulous hands.

Sighing, Phil sat up, trying to stretch the kinks out of his back and wondering just how anyone could sleep on a bed that hard. Crystal grumbled at a little as he moved, but she blinked up at him. "Good morning, Dad," she sighed, curling up so that she had her head on his thigh.

"Good morning," he returned, reaching out and stroking a hand through her two-toned hair. It needed a good washing; perhaps he could speak to someone about letting them get baths and some clean clothes. First, though, there was food, and he had to wonder where that was going to come from.

Phil was trying to ignore the weakness that didn't have anything to do with hunger. He couldn't even begin to do anything about the almost-complete lack of Void in this reality.

"Let's see if we can find some breakfast," he urged Crystal. Lockjaw, who'd been curled snout to tail beside her, raised his head and chirped inquisitively at that.

"Lockjaw's hungry," Crystal said, yawning. "So am I."

"Then let's get cleaned up a little and see if we can find someone who can tell us where to get something to eat."

Crystal flung the blanket off and clambered out of bed. Phil followed; he'd been pointed toward a door in the far wall, and told he was a bathroom. If that was where the bath was, then that was indeed good to know.

There wasn't an actual tub in the room. It was all cold white tile and bright light that came on when he touched the switch on the wall. The man who'd escorted them to this room last night – Agent Davis, he'd introduced himself, and was one of the two who'd found them in that hallway – had shown him the light switch, and Phil was glad of it, since the bathroom had no windows and would have been pitch black without knowing where it was. He hadn't inquired if the lights were magic, not after being told everything here was run on a form of technology, and wondered if he could smuggle a couple of them back to Baron Tony. The Wizard was certain the genius could work them out and use them in his own research.

It took him a moment to figure out what the seat with the hole in it was; it was much like the privy back in the Keep, only with a liftable seat that was made of some sort of material Phil couldn't identify. The base of the privy and the sink itself was of a white, porcelain-like substance; at least the taps for the sink he knew. The same taps were in the glassed-in stall at the back of the room, as well as a spigot that protruded from the tile that lined the walls. It had to be some sort of rain shower, he'd heard of them but not used one. If he and Crystal were there long enough, he would have to try it out.

The mirror showed him a pale face in desperate need of rest and a shave. There didn't seem to be anything he could use for the shaving part, he would have to ask about that. He'd worn a beard during his Dark One days, and had no wish to go back to that if he could possibly help it.

Phil lifted Crystal so she could wash up, after adjusting the water temperature for her. He wondered where the boiler was, and how it managed to produce enough hot water for this entire castle they'd found themselves in. The one at Triskelia Castle was enormous, taking up the entirety of the former dungeons, but there were also smaller ones scattered about the Castle that were magical, a gift to Marcus for him giving the Keep to Phil and Daisy. And, one of the first things he'd done was install his own boiler in the Keep. Not having hot water during his years on the road, Phil had been determined to spoil not only himself, but Daisy, and then Melinda and Andrew when they arrived.

Once they were as clean as they were going to be without a change of clothing and a good soak in a tub, Phil took Crystal by the hand and led her out of their room, the door not being locked. Apparently, the Wizard getting them out of that storeroom had been impressive, and the Director had decided that they weren't going to be confined, not with magic on their side. Phil had politely told him that being locked in was fine, he would certainly understand, but his doppelganger had simply smiled slightly and claimed it wouldn't be necessary.

Outside the room was a corridor made up of the red bricks. There were more people about, and the four of them garnered a few stares as Phil stood outside their door, looking in both directions, trying to figure out which way they needed to go.

"Can I help you?"

The speaker was a dead ringer for Melinda May.

She was dressed in black leather, and on one shoulder of the uniform was a stylized bird that was different from the one that Phil had seen on the wall, back when they'd been confronted by Davis and his companion. Her hair wasn't as long as the Melinda he knew, but other than that he wouldn't have been able to tell them apart if he'd met them both on the street.

"Steward Melinda!" Crystal cried. She pulled out of Phil's grasp and ran to the woman, throwing her arms around her legs and clutching tightly. "Have you come to take us home now?"

The Melinda double blinked, and the Wizard figured that was about as much emotion as she'd show. Also, quite a lot like his Melinda, stoic as all the hells.

"I'm sorry," she said, gently tugging Crystal's arms from around her, "but I'm not who you think I am."

Crystal took two steps back, her face crumpling. "But you're Steward Melinda…"

"Sweetheart," Phil reached down and picked her up, hugging her tightly. "She only looks like Melinda. This isn't her."

"I wanna go home," she sniffled, hiding her face in his shoulder. "I don't like this place."

"I know." He understood completely. He didn't want to be there, either. He wanted to be back at the Keep, in his own bed, Clint clutching at him as if is very life depended on skin to skin contact.

Phil glanced at the woman. "I'm sorry, but you really do look like my Steward, Melinda May. Crystal just doesn't understand that we're not in our own world any longer. And she hadn't been awake when we met your Director, so she didn't see him to know things are different here."

"That's alright." She held out a hand. "Agent Melinda May."

"Phil Coulson, Grand Master of Void Order, and my dragon, Lola. This is my younger daughter, Crystal, and her dragon, Lockjaw."

"Hello, Crystal." Agent May greeted her softly. "I might not be your Steward Melinda, but I can still be your friend."

She turned just enough to look at Agent May. "I'm sorry, I just wanted…" Crystal sniffled again.

"We're going to do our best to get you home, I promise." She gently touched the little girl on the arm, and Crystal didn't jerk away, which was a win in Phil's book.

The Wizard was pleased that Agent May had seemed to put Crystal at ease, at least a little, but there was no way they could get them back to their world, not without magic. Unless their science was something extraordinary, but magic had stranded them there, and he was certain that magic would be what got them home again.

"We were going in search of something to eat," Phil answered the original question.

Agent May nodded. "I was actually coming to fetch you. Director Coulson will have food delivered to his office. He thought you might be more comfortable answering questions over breakfast and in relative privacy."

He smiled, nodding. "That sounds ideal." Phil knew there would be questions, and was grateful that they'd been put off until today. Not that he really felt any better than he had yesterday, to be honest, but it was still good to get some sort of respite from what was bound to be quite the interrogation session. "Lead the way."

Agent May – he couldn't call her Melinda, even though they were basically the same person, only different – nodded, then walked down the corridor, Phil carrying Crystal following with the dragons bringing up the rear. They were garnering quite a few looks, and the Wizard figured it was a combination of the dragons, and the fact that he looked so much like their Director Coulson. He had yet to see any sort of dragon anywhere, but then there really wasn't any much magic that he knew there, either. He had to assume that Lola and Lockjaw were unique to this world.

The room where Agent May escorted them was large, with windows along one, red-bricked, wall. The other two walls that looked out onto the hallway were glass, but a strange, fogged sort that Phil had only seen in artwork before. The fourth wall…it was moving.

No, the _pictures_ on it were moving, as if it was an enormous speaking mirror, only with lines and graphs and numerals and…he just couldn't comprehend it. That wall was beyond his ability to understand. He had to physically turn away from it, it was making the low-grade headache he'd been developing ever since they'd arrived in this world worse just by looking at it.

So, he focused on the rest of the room which, from what Agent May had said, was Director Coulson's office.

A large wooden desk seemed to dominate the space. There were tall, black cabinets along the walls…and were they metal? It seemed as if metal was something that people used for a variety of purposes on this world. There was a couch along one of the window-lined walls, and a couple of chairs pulled up in front of the massive desk. An axe hung from hooks on one section of brick wall; it made sense to have a weapon close at hand in case of attack, even if it was a strange design, the axe head painted red. Who thought painting an axe was a good idea?

There were shelves with all sorts of knickknacks on them. It gave the office a bit of a more homey feeling than just being a place someone worked in. There was also a banner of some sort in the corner, red and white and blue, and Phil wondered if it was of the Barony that this place owed its allegiance to.

Director Coulson stood from where he'd been seated behind the desk. He was wearing a white shirt and dark blue trousers, his arm in the sling that it had been in yesterday. Phil had to wonder what had happened to the missing hand, but thought it might seem rude to ask.

However, he hadn't counted on Crystal.

"He's like Uncle James," she exclaimed in wonder, even before Phil could say something. "And he looks like you, Dad."

"Uncle James?" A single eyebrow went up.

"Her Uncle James is missing his left arm," Phil explained. He could certainly understand why Crystal would have noticed; it was actually a little disturbing, seeing his double down to only one arm. It had him wondering what the Void would do if he ever lost a limb…no, he didn't want to consider it. Not one single bit.

The Director looked bemused. "I have to say, it's a little surreal to see myself standing there, and with a child no less. Oh, and I can't forget the dragons."

"I take it you don't have dragons here." It confirmed Phil's original assumption as to why he'd never seen any in this castle.

"Perhaps at one time, back in the far past, but not anymore. Please," he waved toward the chairs, "have a seat. May, can you have the food brought in for our guests? Then you can get started on your vacation."

Agent May didn't say anything, but she nodded and then left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Phil took the offered seat, settling Crystal in his lap. To be honest, his arms had been getting a little tired from carrying her. Lockjaw curled up at Phil's feet, and Lola, being her usual curious self, trotted around the desk in order to greet their host directly. "Lola," the Wizard chided her gently.

"It's fine." The Director held out his remaining hand, seemingly a bit lost on how to greet the dragon properly. "And, her name is Lola?" there was something in the question that Phil was curious about, but he let it slide. It was almost as if his doppelganger wasn't at all surprised that Phil's companion had that particular name.

"She likes to be scratched right over her eyebrow ridges," Phil directed.

To suit herself, Lola butted her head against the Director's hand, cooing in encouragement. Chuckling, the other man did as she obviously wanted, running his fingers over the dragon's crest and down toward her neck. "I never thought I'd ever see a dragon, let alone touch one."

"Lola likes you. She's an excellent judge of character."

Lockjaw, noticing that the elder dragon hadn't joined him, was up and around the desk as well, the smaller dragon deciding to go a step further and try to climb into the Director's lap. The man laughed outright; it was a bit more awkward than usual, since his one arm was in that sling.

"Sorry," Phil apologized. "Lockjaw is a lot younger than Lola, and hasn't really learned restraint yet."

"Lockjaw," Crystal called, "you can't go jumping on people like that!" She was laughing though, so her censure wasn't taken very seriously by her companion.

Lola huffed and grabbed onto the smaller dragon, tugging him away. Lockjaw pouted, but let himself be dragged off, and he was happy once more when Lola pulled him down next to her and cuddled him.

"Does everyone have dragons where you come from?" the Director inquired.

Phil shook his head. "Only Wizards. We gain our dragons when we're children, and when that happens it tells our parents that they'll need to have us Tested when we turn eleven." He could have mentioned Clint, but that would have only complicated the explanation.

"And, was I correct when I heard you were Grand Master?" He seemed genuinely curious.

Phil had no problem with explaining, and was about to, when the door opened and two young women came in.

Crystal immediately attempted to jump off Phil's lap and go for them. He held her back, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "That's not Daisy and Jemma, Crystal."

Oh, they certain resembled his eldest daughter and one of her best friends, but there were obvious differences. Both were older than the Daisy and Jemma he knew, by about a decade if he was any judge. This Daisy, however, had much shorter hair, and was missing the purple streak his eldest had taken to wearing lately. And this version of Jemma was human, not an Elf, which was decidedly jarring.

"But Dad!" Crystal sounded as if she was about to throw a tantrum.

"Look at them, sweetheart," he urged her, knowing she had to come to the same conclusion he had on her own. She hadn't really reacted to Director Coulson's resemblance to her father, but she'd practically attacked Agent May for attention from the moment she'd seen her. "They don't have magic."

That, in itself, was the biggest disconnect. Phil was so used to Daisy's presence, the Deep Ways thrumming just under her skin. Jemma also fairly hummed with magic, Great magic, and if a person knew how to look it was always visible.

Crystal knew how to _see_. She was always seeing a person's magic before they could even be introduced from whatever Order they belonged to. Phil had often wondered just how powerful a Void she would become when she grew up, just from that ability to perceive who was a Wizard and who wasn't. It was almost as if Crystal was a living Testing Artifact.

His little girl was frowning. "But they…they're not Wizards, and that one isn't an Elf, either." She looked up at him, tears in her pale eyes. "Dad, where are we? I want to go home. I want Daisy and Daddy and everyone!" She began to cry, burying her face in the cloth of his tunic.

"I know. So do I." He embraced her, his own eyes prickling. It was a combination of her own distress, and the fact that he also wanted to be with their family, and not these strangers with their loved ones' faces, that was making him so upset.

Also the lack of Void, but he could ignore that for now. Until it became imperative to acknowledge it.

"Um." The copy of Daisy looked sorry to have intruded, and Jemma was twitching a little. Phil thought the only reason she wasn't wringing her hands was the fact that they were holding a couple of plates in them. "Should we leave?"

"Maybe that would be for the best," the Director answered softly.

"I'm sorry," Phil said. "It's just that…you resemble my elder daughter, Daisy. And you're Jemma, one of her best friends from school. If I'm having a little trouble with the resemblance, I can understand why Crystal is reacting this way."

The Daisy lookalike was surprised, judging from the widening of her eyes. "I'm…Agent Johnson," she introduced herself. "And this is Agent Simmons. We brought the food May said you wanted."

"Just put it on the desk, please."

"Sure, Coulson." Both young women suited action to words, and were depositing the plates near where Phil was sitting, rocking Crystal and trying to console her.

So, here, there was no Daisy. Oh, there was someone who greatly resembled her, but no remarkable young Wizard who was the child he'd raised into near adulthood. This Director Coulson had obviously not adopted this version; chances were she had a loving family in this world, and hadn't needed to be taken in and looked after. Phil had no idea why that broke his heart, but it did.

Just as they were leaving, Agent Simmons turned and said, "I'm also the team doctor, so if you need anything, you just have to ask."

He frowned, having to think about that for a moment before realizing she was saying that she was a healer; _doctor_ on his world could have meant anything, as it referred to an advanced form of learning than anything specific to do with healers or physicians. "Thank you," he answered sincerely. He wondered if she'd been told about his claim that being in this world was affecting him and Crystal. The Wizard wasn't certain about taking his little girl to this Agent Simmons, out of fear of another bad reaction to seeing someone who looked so much like someone she loved.

Gods, even her voice was the same.

She nodded, gnawing on her lip, then followed her fellow Agent out of the office, closing the door behind them.

"I think," Phil murmured, "we should keep the new people down to a minimum."

"That might be for the best." The Director looked genuinely sorry for what had just occurred, even though it hadn't been something he could have planned for. "I wouldn't want your daughter more upset than she already is."

The Wizard appreciated that. "Perhaps if she was older, she'd understand." He stroked Crystal's hair. "It's just she's only been with us for a short while, and her life before we adopted her hadn't been easy. I'm sure it's bringing back all sorts of insecurities that we thought we'd fought through."

"You adopted her?"

"We did." Phil lifted a hand, revealing the ring on his finger, wondering if it would mean the same thing here as it did on his world. Judging from the expression on the Director's face, it did.

For some reason, Phil didn't feel like explaining Clint. There were things he wanted to keep to himself, and Crystal had already mentioned her Daddy anyway.

"And your Daisy?"

"I found Daisy in the middle of a battlefield." Phil smiled fondly. "She'd run away from yet another orphanage and was living on the streets. She was only a little older than Crystal, and yet she was so self-sufficient…but it seemed as if she was meant to be mine."

The Director looked a little uncomfortable, so he pushed one of the plates closer. "Please, help yourself."

"Thank you." He did so, taking a piece of toast from the plate. "Hey, sweetheart, eat this."

Crystal raised her tear-streaked face. "I'm not hungry anymore, Dad."

"I know. But you still need to eat something." His heart was breaking for her. It was bad enough that he was an adult and was having to deal with this; she was only six, and it had to have been so much more confusing for her. She just wasn't understanding that they were in a place where there were people who looked just like her own family, and it was upsetting to her that they weren't reacting the way she thought they should. And it didn't help that their magic was being affected, as well.

Gods knew, he wanted to go home as well. To be with Clint, and Daisy, and everyone he was close to. To be surrounded by things he was familiar with, to sleep in his own bed, with the man he loved busily doing his octopus imitation. He wanted his magic back, and to feel like himself again, instead of this strange, half-existence without the Void to replenish his power.

Crystal took the toast from him, nibbling at a corner of the heavily buttered bread. Lola communicated her own hunger to him, and Phil asked, "Do you have something for Lola and Lockjaw? They'll eat any sort of meat you might have, although Lola has a fondness for chicken and lamb."

"I'm sure we can find something," The Director touched his ear, and Phil assumed he had one of the small speaking Artifacts that the man from yesterday had had. He spoke into it, giving orders with an ease that showed his authority here.

Phil reached for his own piece of toast, suddenly not all that hungry himself, but needing to keep his own strength up. He had no idea how long they'd be trapped there, and he could only hope it wouldn't be long.


	83. Chapter 83

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Ianto leaned over the book open on his desk, staring at the paragraph written there, not quite believing his eyes.

Oh, he'd read this very book before, back when it had come apparent that he and Jack were bound together by more than love. It had been Daffyd who'd pointed it out, told them both that their souls were tied together by magic, but it hadn't really meant much to him, since he'd always been able to find Jack by Scrying for him, using the pendulum he'd created about a hundred years ago.

_Soul bonds are incredibly rare, a product of very powerful magic. The bond makes two people inseparable, so much so that their souls are forever bound, even beyond death. There is the tale of Master Healer Max Goodwin and his wife, Mistress Georgia, who was lost in a tragic accident just after the birth of their only daughter. And yet, their bond was so strong that Master Max could speak to her even though she was in one of the Heavens, where she had earned the reward for a life of service to people and to magic. This speaking across the Veil is considered unique amongst bonded; however, there does not seem to be any boundaries between one side of a soul bond and the other, and two bonded would always be able to seek out the other, no matter where they might be._

There it was.

Just one paragraph in the entire book.

Idris was right.

Ianto looked up at Stephen, who had a tiny grin on his face. "Looks like we might have a plan," his friend commented.

"Well," the Cardinal Wizard shrugged, "the bare bones of one. I'm still going to have to get my scans of the Reality Stone, but I think it's certainly worth a try."

That was going to be the rough part, as far as Ianto was concerned. The Reality Stone was, perhaps, the most dangerous of the gemstones they'd discovered so far; it had somehow been damaged, as far as Ianto could tell, and it held its 'hurts' close. From what he'd been able to tell, it had once been a regular gem like the others, but it had been melted in dragonfire, which was most likely the only way to do that sort of harm to such a powerful Artifact. It held that grudge, as much as an Artifact could, and the Wizard would have to deal with that, as well as keep it from trying to take him over, like it had Ruby Hale.

It was most likely going to be one of the most difficult things he'd ever done. And yet, he would do it, in order to get his friend and his newest niece back.

"How did you know this existed?" Ianto had, but he'd never really paid it much attention. The book was old, a reprint of an original work that was even older, and he was well aware that sometimes those sorts of reprints were rife with mistakes. He'd overlooked the information, thinking it was something apocryphal and that it didn't apply to him and Jack, anyway.

"I can't take credit. It was Wong, bless his librarian heart."

Of course it was Wong. That man had an encyclopedic knowledge of books, moreso than even Ianto, and he wasn't even a trained Archivist like the Cardinal Wizard was.

"Up until he mentioned it," Stephen went on, "all I knew about soul bonds was from what I could _see_ in you and Jack, and from _The Lay of Roman and Margaret_, which happens to be one of my favorite of the epic poems. But then, I've often been accused of being a romantic."

Ianto had read it, as well, but had always just assumed it was a work of fiction. It just seemed impossible that two souls could be reborn over and over, and then find each other every time. It was the ultimate soul bond story, language florid and over the top, and he knew there were at least two different plays based on the original work, which actually predated the book that he was currently reading.

To be honest, he'd always lumped _The Lay _in with all those bards' tales of the Deathless…all blown up out of proportion, if not being a downright lie. To discover there might really be a kernel of truth to it…

"The question is," Stephen said, "is the bond between Clint and Phil strong enough to pinpoint Phil's location throughout all of reality?"

"The Queen of Air and Fire seems to think so, and if I've learned one thing about Idris…she's usually correct, even when she's speaking in riddles. She's the dragon version of the UnEarthly Child in that respect. So if she's being forthright in this…"

"Then we should take it as truth and move on."

Ianto laughed. "Exactly."

Stephen's face turned grave. "I'm still not sure how we can retrieve Phil and Crystal from wherever they are…"

"We'll work that out once I see what we're dealing with as pertains to the Reality Stone."

"I put it in the Secure Archive."

"Good. We should move it to one of the labs there before I start messing about with it. I don't want it reacting to any of the other Artifacts we keep down there. We should do this today, as soon as possible." Ianto stood.

"Are you up to it?" Stephen asked worriedly.

To be honest, Ianto wasn't sure. He still felt a little tired from yesterday but, surprisingly, the exhaustion he'd expected hadn't really hit him. It was as if he was somehow stronger than ever, and he had to wonder if the Deep Ways had something to do with it. If it was making him more powerful than ever before.

Maybe it was. After all, he was apparently Cardinal Champion, Phil's opposite, and he'd seen his friend do some amazing things lately. Perhaps the Deep Ways were compensating Ianto for Phil's growing power?

Maybe he should speak to the Avatar about it. She would most likely know…if she was inclined to tell him. What was it about eternal beings that made them always speak it generalities and riddles? And would he ever get to be like that?

He certainly hoped not. He would have to make Jack promise to slap sense into him if he ever did.

"I have to try," he finally spoke. "We can't leave them lost for long. We have no idea where they are, or what they're going through. We don't even know if they can be sustained where they are; what if they're in a reality without magic?"

At least they knew that Phil and Crystal were still alive, if Idris could still vaguely sense Lola and Lockjaw. Dragons never outlived their Wizards due to their bond, so neither of them would have been still connected to the One Mother if either Phil or Crystal were dead. So, they still had time, but there was no telling how much time that was.

"You have a point," Stephen conceded. "But you don't have to do this by yourself. You're not alone, Ianto. I might not be as powerful as you –"

"I think you're more powerful than you think. It's just that you're like me and Phil – you haven't had the opportunity to tap into that power yet." Coming around the desk, he rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, Stephen's magic tingling through his palm. "I know I'm not alone. Believe me," he chuckled, "I'm going to be relying on you, I just know it. It's going to take the two of us to get that damned stone to do what we want it to. Now." He backed away. "I'm going to dress, and then we can go to the Archive. You mind waiting?"

"Not at all. To be honest, I was alone with that thing long enough. It gave me the shivers."

For Stephen to say that, meant it was even worse than a case of the shivers. Stephen wasn't one for melodrama, so for him to admit the Reality Stone bothered him meant it was much worse than what he was letting on.

Ianto didn't' blame him. He, himself, had a very healthy respect for all of the gemstones, and was certainly glad that Phil had been able to exile two of them to the Void. It meant there were still two in play, so to speak, but the Wizard felt he could trust Baron Tony to take whatever precautions necessary to keep the true nature of the Artifact imbedded in his chest secret. The Baron might not have been naturally circumspect, but he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"I'll be right back." With that, Ianto was out of the office and heading upstairs. It didn't take him long to get dressed, and he didn't bother with anything fancy, just his working trousers and a tunic that had at least been pressed, and then was downstairs once more, almost running into Jack in the process.

"You off to commune with the Reality Stone?" His words were flippant, but his tone worried.

"Jack." He rested his palms against his husband's chest, recognizing the sensation he had of touching Jack came from their bond, the magic between them sizzling pleasantly. "I'm going to have Stephen with me, and he'll pull me back if anything happens."

"I know." Jack put a hand over one of Ianto's own, fingers warm against his skin. "I just can't help but worry that you're rushing into this, even though I get the urgency."

"I'll be careful. I promise."

Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against Jack's in a kiss, for them, was decidedly chaste. Even though that small contact, the Deep Ways buzzed. That was the way between them, and Ianto would never get tired of it.

"You think this whole soul bond thing is going to work?"

"I think it gives us our best chance of locating Phil and Crystal. Beyond that…" Ianto didn't want to admit that he just wasn't sure. He trusted Idris to know what she was talking about, but the bond between their friends was new, and not yet as set as the one between himself and Jack. Would it be strong enough to sense across so many realities? Ianto just didn't know.

Jack's eyes were conflicted. "There's something you should know, before you do anything else."

"What is it?" Ianto was confused. His husband was usually pretty straightforward, so for him to be reluctant, it must have been pretty serious indeed.

"I debated telling you," Jack confessed. "I didn't want you to worry or feel guilty if you couldn't find Phil…" He bit his lip, and he looked as if he was trying to find the words he needed.

Another thing about Jack Harkness…he was never lacking in words. He might not always communicate properly – as Ianto had learned during their initial courtship – but he never had any problem with talking.

"I know what Clint's destiny is supposed to be."

The Wizard blinked in surprise. "Clint's talked to the Child, then?" Why was Jack telling him this now?

"Yes, he did. Yesterday. Clint was at the traveling show when Phil went running off after Daisy. She'd just got done informing him…Gods, this is so crazy, even I'm not sure I believe it."

Ianto shivered. "That bad?" Just what had Clint found out? Would it have any effect on getting Phil and Crystal back?

"Not bad," Jack reassured him, "but…Ianto, Ashildr was apparently a stopgap measure created by the Void in order to wait for the one to come along that's actually meant to be my counterpart."

The Wizard understood at once. "Clint."

How was that possible? As far as anyone knew, it was impossible to create another Deathless, let alone Jack's opposite number. That the Child had been that opposite had seemed fanciful at first, but he'd come to accept it, because of the Balance and how the universe worked. But, how could she transfer that to Clint? It couldn't be that easy, could it? Could, one day, Jack decide to pass along his own, the original, version of Deathlessness? Or could others out there be like Jack, and they just don't know it?

Ianto had far too many questions, and not enough time to ask them right now. Not that he thought Jack had those particular answers.

No, he would have to speak to Lady Ashildr. He needed to know how this worked.

"He hasn't accepted yet. He wanted to talk to Phil about it. But, I think we're all underestimating just how strong their bond is. I can't _see_ it, so I don't know what it looks like, but if Clint has the potential to become the Void version of me…there's more to it, Ianto. Much more. And we're just not aware of it yet."

Shit. This was getting more and more complicated. "Alright. I'll need to speak to Clint as well about this. But, right now, I have an appointment with the Reality Stone. I need to know if we really can use it to locate Phil and Crystal."

"Be careful." Jack's eyes were dark with worry. For one of the few times, Ianto could actually see the miniscule sparkles of the Deep Ways in the blue. There were moments when it was obvious that his husband was a magical being, although those were few and far between.

"I will be," Ianto promised. "We'll be back before you know it. Then, perhaps, we'll have some good news to give to Clint and Daisy."

Stephen was waiting in the foyer, Agamotto draped across his shoulders and the Cloak waving in its impossible way about his calves. Myfanwy was there, as well, and she chirped at him as her love and devotion floated across their own bond.

"Let's get this over with." Ianto really had no desire to touch the Reality Stone again, but he would do it if it meant getting his friend and Crystal back.

A long time ago, Ianto Jones realized that he would do anything to help those he cared about. Up to and including risking his life and sanity.

And that meant he'd _make_ the Reality Stone tell him where Phil and Crystal were.


	84. Chapter 84

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Meeting Laura Barton had been a revelation for Daisy.

After hearing about Barney and what he'd done to Clint, she wasn't sure what to expect from Barney's wife. Maybe the story her other Dad told had colored her expectations, but she'd gone in feeling like she might not like the woman who'd married the man who'd left Clint for dead.

Instead, she'd found a woman with a level head on her shoulders, who was intelligent and, Daisy guessed, really hard to fool. If she'd married Barney Barton, then perhaps she'd seen something in Daisy's erstwhile uncle that had to be worth loving.

She'd also met her cousins, Cooper and Lila, both younger than she was but Daisy thought she'd get along with them just fine. Well, Cooper was a typical teenaged boy, but Lila was great. She'd have to introduce her new cousin to her friends. It was about time they had a non-Wizard in the gang.

Speaking to Aunt Laura also distracted her a bit from her worry about Dad and Daisy. Her Aunt had let her ramble on a little about it, and she hadn't given Daisy any false-platitudes, which was nice. She didn't invalidate Daisy's fear that they would never get them back, that they'd landed somewhere that their magic didn't work, or any number of scenarios that Daisy's imagination threw up at her. The young Wizard had appreciated it so much, especially when Aunt Laura had reassured her that Clint wouldn't let that happen, that there wasn't anything he'd do in order to get them back home. Oh, Daisy had known that, but to hear someone confirm it was a relief.

She'd also talked about meeting her birth mother, and how Jiaying had turned out to be an insane lich who wouldn't get it through her head that Daisy didn't really care to know her. She had questions, of course she did, but Jiaying hadn't been the most stable of people and she hadn't been sure she could believe anything the woman said, anyway. Aunt Laura had affirmed Daisy's own thoughts on the matter, about needing to talk to her at some point anyway, and it was almost like having Dad back because she spoke the same common sense he did. Still, she'd wait until they got him and Crystal back, because she really wanted him to be there with her. Him and Clint, her true family, the one she'd bonded with.

Daisy couldn't have said why she'd been so honest with her, but it felt good to talk to someone who really wasn't involved in things. It gave Aunt Laura a perspective Daisy thought might have been lacking in anyone deep in all the happenings, one that the young Wizard appreciated.

By the time Clint had returned, his brother in tow and looking more at peace than Daisy had seen since he'd first learned that Barney was at the Carson's traveling show, she'd been soothed a bit by Aunt Laura's steady presence. Daisy had only ever had Melinda May in her life and, while Melinda had supported her and trained her to defend herself and took care of those womanly things that Dad simply didn't have any knowledge about, there was something about Aunt Laura that certainly had her thinking that this was what having a mother was like.

She was more of the motherly type than Jiaying was. And Aunt Laura seemed to be perfectly willing to be a sort of confidante to the young woman whenever she'd need it. She would never take Melinda's place, but there was certainly a slot in which Aunt Laura would fit nicely.

They'd said their goodbyes – Clint actually hugged Barney, even though it was only a brief embrace it did seem to have some warmth about it. Daisy didn't know what they'd discussed, but she was pretty sure her other Dad would talk about it when he was ready. They also said goodbye to Toshiko and the others, although Daisy was pretty sure she'd be seeing them again soon. Or, at least Toshiko, because she knew she'd be most likely hanging around Ianto's and Daisy had reasons to be there, at least until they located Dad and Crystal. Besides, he and Jack were her uncles now. And Dad would be working pretty closely with Ianto on Wizard Guild business.

They Teleported back to the Keep, into Dad's casting chamber. Daisy could still feel Dad's magic permeating the place, and it made her miss him over again. Skye rubbed her cheek against Daisy's in comfort, and it helped a little that Clint seemed just as upset as Daisy herself was. Well, that wasn't a surprise, because she knew how much her other Dad loved her first Dad, and was missing him as much as she was. Lucky was leaning into him, cooing softly, comforting him as much as Skye was comforting Daisy.

However, they weren't alone in the chamber.

Wanda and Trip were there.

Daisy's heart sank. Gods, they hadn't let either of them know that Dad was gone. They would have had lessons planned for today, for them to be there waiting. She hadn't even thought about it, and neither had Clint, judging from his expression.

They had to have known, now, just from their own expressions.

"I am so sorry," he blurted the moment he noticed them. "I should have let you know not to come today…"

Wanda moved forward, flinging her arms around Clint's neck. "Doctor Garner told us," she was practically sobbing. Clint hugged her tightly, and Daisy could see his own tears glittering in his eyes.

Trip came up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders, careful not to dislodge Skye. "Hey, girl. I'm not going to ask how you're holding up…"

She sighed. "Thanks for that. Because it's pretty obvious I'm not all that well, really."

"I called Jemma and let her know," her friend said, "I hope you don't mind."

"No, the rest of the gang needed to know. Clint's right, I should have called myself."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Trip gave her a kind smile. "You've had too much to think about to worry about us."

Damn, that was Trip all over; so understanding and willing to bend over backward to accommodate her. She absolutely adored him for it, and had to hug him.

"We're gonna get him and Crystal back," Clint declared, once he'd pulled back from Wanda's embrace. "I don't know how long it's going to take…"

"We will." Wanda's own quiet certainty made Daisy feel better. All of that confidence in their ability to discover what had happened to Dad and Crystal made her feel better.

"Hey." Daisy wiped her eyes, because it was dusty in the casting chamber…well, she could tell herself that was the reason her eyes were watering, but she was well aware that Dad kept the place spotless. "Have you met Medusa yet?"

Trip blinked once in surprise. "Have you gone and adopted another kid?"

The sound of his incredulity had Clint laughing. Daisy couldn't help but join in. "Not yet, but when we get Dad back, that's going to happen."

"She's Crystal's older sister," her other Dad added. "We found her."

Wanda was grinning. "That is wonderful. Grand Master Phil did say there was a search going on for her."

"We'll need to contact Baron Alexander in Uncelas," Clint went on, "because Sir Napoleon was doing the majority of the searching, but we're certain there won't be an issue with us adopting her."

"Come on," Daisy urged, "and we'll introduce you."

"Wait," Trip said as they took the steps up to the Keep, "is this the same Medusa you met, the one who was being bullied?"

Daisy confirmed it. "Turns out that story was a lot more complicated than just that…"

She went on to explain about Medusa being used by Catherine Hale as a trap for Daisy, to get her to come to the new Hydra hideout and hold her in order to get Dad to come to her. "There's a lot more to it, but it's long and messed up and apparently my birth mother is an undead creature who was going out and locating children who'd been rejected by their families in order to form some sort of cult…"

Trip whistled. "You are _not_ serious."

"Afraid so. I'll be glad to explain it in all the gory details, but I'd really like to do that all in one go, if that's alright, and the others should know, too."

"No problem. It's gonna be hard enough telling it once, I'm sure."

Wanda reached out and took Daisy's hand. "We are with you, Daisy. No matter what happens."

Daisy's heart swelled in gratitude. These were her friends, and they were amazing. She had no idea how she'd earned them or how she deserved them, but she was never going to take them for granted.

Once they were up in the main Keep, the young Wizard threw out her magical senses, searching… damn it, it was a habit she had, looking for her Dad's magical signature. Of course it wasn't there, and neither was Crystal's, but the newest Void source within Shield Keep was down in the kitchens, and that was where she led them, none of them questioning her destination.

Wanda and Trip's dragons, Scarlet and Knight, joined them, greeting Clint effusively, and then Lucky and Skye. It was hilarious that Clint was always first, but then that was the Elven mystique at work. It didn't matter that there were other dragons around…go to the Elf first. Other Dad took it all in stride, letting the two other dragons crawl all over him, laughing at each of their attempts to monopolize his time.

It was good to hear him laugh like that. Clint's laugh was just so very free, and Daisy knew he didn't have a lot to laugh about at the moment. So, to hear it now, made it seem like everything was going to be alright.

Both Medusa and Andrew were in the kitchen. Andrew was at the stove, stirring a pot of something that smelled divine. Daisy's stomach grumbled, and she could feel Skye's own hunger smacking her in the brain.

Medusa was seated at the table, Addie at her feet, and she was poking at a bowl of fruit halfheartedly, as if she was hungry but didn't know what to do about it. She glanced up as everyone entered, looking uncomfortable at the new people, but she smiled when she met Daisy's eyes. "Have you heard anything?" she asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Daisy answered, "but we're not giving up."

Wanda seated herself next to Medusa, smiling at her reassuringly. "I am Wanda, my dragon is Scarlet, and I'm a friend of Daisy's, and her father is my teaching Master. You must be Medusa."

The girl nodded. Wanda wasn't all that much older than Medusa, maybe they could connect on a level that anyone else might not be able to. Scarlet cuddled up to Addie, who sighed into the contact. What was it about being an orphan and having a touch-starved dragon? It was so incredibly sad, really.

Then the other dragons were chivvying the pair up and into the corner, where they promptly fell into a dragon pile out from underfoot, waiting for Andrew to feed them something.

"We are going to bring them home," Wanda said earnestly. "Grand Master Phil will keep Crystal safe. He is always saving children from harm. He saved myself and my brother, Pietro. Clint was there as well. They are good people, and will do everything in their power to bring our loved ones home."

"Mistress Catherine said that the Grand Master was actually an evil Wizard who was like the Deathless," Medusa murmured, poking again at her fruit, not meeting anyone's eyes. "She wanted me to get Daisy to come so they could get the Grand Master to come after her. I thought…I thought I was doing a good thing."

Clint sat down on the other side of her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "But now you know the truth, and you're home."

"But it's my fault the Grand Master and my sister are missing. If I hadn't done what Mistress Catherine asked…" Her face was hidden by the curtain of her wild red hair.

"Hey." Daisy's other Dad tucked a forefinger under the young girl's chin, tilting her face up so he could look her in the eye. "Hydra used you. If anyone's to blame, it's Jiaying, for welcoming Hydra into your refuge to begin with. I know you look up to her, but if she hadn't done that, none of this would have happened. And, a part of me is always going to be a little grateful, because it let us find you and bring you home."

There were a lot of people out there in the world who wouldn't have been so forgiving. That someone who'd been sent to purposely lead their eldest daughter into a trap would have held it against the person who'd done it. And, Daisy was pretty sure Clint could, indeed, hold a grudge; just look at the situation between him and his brother.

But, Medusa was a child. She had been convinced by an unscrupulous individual to do something she wouldn't ordinarily do. And, if Daisy was correct, she'd been sent to the Wizard School not to get an education, but for Catherine Hale's benefit only. She seriously doubted Jiaying would have sent any of those children to a school she obviously looked down upon, let alone to somewhere that might undo the careful programming she'd been doing to those poor kids.

The Wizard's Guild was going to have a hard time de-programming all of the children. But, hopefully, now that they were out of Jiaying's hands they would get better. And, the Guild would find families to adopt them, if that was what was needed. There would be an investigation, that was for sure, and it was going to get ugly before it got any better.

Daisy didn't envy Dad, when they got him back. He and the other Grand Masters were going to have their work cut out for them. And that didn't even include the other projects on their individual plates. There was still Master Thaddeus out and running around, but from what she'd managed to discover that wouldn't be for long. Dad had let slip that Stephen had planned on calling the Quorum next week to handle the problem. They could bring up the children at the same time.

Right now, all of the kids were in the custody of Master Joshua Bolt, the Court Wizard of Barony Olympia, and a hand-picked cadre of other Wizards from the Guild. Daisy knew they were going to have their hands full.

"Lunch is ready," Andrew announced. "I made a stew from that buck you took down last week, Clint."

He began setting bowls out for everyone, and Daisy got up to help. Shaking her head at her other Dad when he also made a move to rise. "I got this," she said, and he nodded gratefully.

She really needed to think of something better than to call him "her other Dad" in her head.

The young Wizard got bowls of stew for everyone, including Medusa who hadn't even finished her fruit yet. Andrew also had bread and, while it wasn't freshly baked, it was still good, warmed a little and with butter slathered all over, melting over the sides of the thick slices.

"There's cake for dessert," Andrew added, taking his own bowl and making one up for Melinda, who had to have been in the Keep somewhere, setting both onto the table. "My wayward wife will be along in a bit. Don't wait for her."

The conversation was kept light, for which Daisy was grateful. No one brought up what had happened to Dad and Crystal, or what she hadn't told Wanda and Trip, even though she could tell they were curious and itching to know what had gone on to bring Medusa into their lives. Instead, both her friends made conversation with her newest sister that had them talking about their studies and being Dad's Novices and Trip could relate to being betrayed by someone he thought he could trust.

Medusa lost a lot of her shyness talking to them, and Daisy was grateful for their acceptance. Not that she'd expected anything different, but they were Dad's Novices, and Dad had been vanished after Medusa had done the job set for her by Catherine Hale, and she wouldn't have blamed them one bit if they'd held it against Medusa.

They didn't, but then neither did Daisy and Clint. After all, Medusa had been a pawn in Catherine Hale's twisted game, and it had been Ruby Hale who'd managed to toss both Dad and Crystal into another reality. Medusa had been an innocent in pretty much everything. Even the bullying she'd been the target of had been real. She'd just lucked into Daisy and Jemma and Leo finding her like they had. Even Medusa admitted that.

And she'd also said that, if she'd known that Daisy was Crystal's new sister, she would have confessed everything. Knowing that her birth sister was safe and with a loving family had been a turning point for Medusa, and she'd apologized for not confessing all before everything had gotten so out of hand. But then, at first, the young girl had been concerned that Dad had adopted Crystal and was being all evil toward her…that was before Crystal had set her straight with her rambling about family and being happy about finding a new one that cared for her.

They were just finishing up the cake – a chocolate one, triple-layered with fudge icing between the layers, Daisy's favorite – when there was chime that sounded in the kitchen. Melinda, who'd joined them soon after they'd started in on the wonderful stew, stood up. "I'll go and see who it is." She practically ghosted across the floor, her boots making not a sound on the stone.

Daisy glanced at Clint, and she could see the curiosity in his eyes, which most likely matched her own. Who was coming to the Keep? Whoever it was, had to have one of the special Teleport Artifacts that Dad had made, because that was the only way to get past the UnPlotable spell surrounding Shield Keep. That list had grown a bit over the last several weeks, but it still wasn't that big.

Within moments, Melinda was back, trailed by Ianto, Jack, and Stephen. Daisy's heart began to beat faster; Ianto looked tired, but not nearly as exhausted as she thought he would, not after yesterday. He was also smiling, as was Stephen, who was also looking triumphant.

She knew…they'd done it.

They knew how to get Dad and Crystal back.


	85. Chapter 85

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"We're fairly certain," Ianto began, "that your bond with Phil really will lead us to him, in whatever reality he and Crystal were exiled to."

"So, Idris was right." Clint stood, leaning against the wall of Phil's study, unable to sit still now that they seemed to have some sort of idea on how to find the missing members of his family. He wanted to jump up and down in excitement, this being the first real hope he'd had since they'd discovered both Phil and Crystal were missing somewhere else. Sure, he'd believed Idris when she'd suggested it, but it was good to have it confirmed from an actual Wizard, and the one who'd be doing the actual retrieving.

Ianto was seated at the desk. The Elf had offered him the seat, because he'd looked a little tired when he and Stephen had arrived. And who could blame him, after the day he'd had yesterday? To be honest, Clint was a little surprised to see him up and moving around already.

Stephen stood behind him, and Clint couldn't decide whether it was to support whatever the other Grand Master was saying, or to support him in case he collapsed. Could have gone either way, really.

"She was," Ianto confirmed, "although I suspect that was one of the very few times she's been so straightforward. Those sorts of ancient beings are often more into speaking in riddles. I think they see it as humorous, to make us mortals have to guess at things."

"Lady Idris is quite the personality," Iohannes chuckled. The other dragon was seated on the couch and, instead of gathering into their usual dragon pile in the front room, every single dragon in the Keep was curled up around Iohannes' feet, almost as if they couldn't get enough of him, treating him like he was an Elf, really. Clint would have been jealous if he didn't think it hilarious. If the otherworldly dragon had to move in a hurry, he was going to be out of luck.

They hadn't managed to keep the kids out. Well, Daisy wasn't going to let any conversation about getting her Dad and sister back go on without her, and Wanda and Trip were going to stand by her, even if it meant sitting in on a meeting that had to do with something that they really had no idea what was going on. And Medusa just wanted to get the sister she'd thought she'd lost back.

Even Melinda and Andrew were there, but that made sense. Phil had been their friend for almost as long as Clint had, and they deserved to know what was going on. He wasn't about to deny them being present at the meeting that would determine if they could get Phil and Crystal back. Knowing Melinda, she'd have gone in kicking people in the balls in order to get to Phil. That sort of thing was fucking entertaining. Melinda May was a ballbuster and no mistake.

"Idris is indeed that." Ianto smiled. He didn't seem to be having any problem with having a lookalike in the same room; Iohannes wasn't reacting, either. Clint had to wonder if he'd be any more or less unmoved by the whole situation if it had been his doppelganger sitting there. "I've dealt with her in the past."

"We had to check, of course," Stephen added. "And we found that confirmation in an old book. Soul bonds are very real, and they can be used to find the other end of the bond, no matter where they might be. We just have to figure out how to do it."

"There was a tale of a healer who used his soul bond with his beloved to speak to her after her death," Ianto went on. "If a soul can be contacted when its owner has moved on to one of the Heavens, then we should be able to use it to locate Phil and bring him home."

"How do we know that's a true story?" Daisy wanted to know. She looked conflicted, like she really didn't want to ask the question, but had to do it. "What if it's just some sort of fairy story?"

"She's right," Clint backed her up. "How can you be sure what this story says is correct, and it's going to work?"

"Well, Idris seems to think it would," Ianto pointed out, "and the book is a treatise on soul bonds. I found it after Jack and I discovered our own bond. Truthfully, I missed the significance of the particular passage, but we can thank Master Wong for remembering it and pointing it out to Stephen."

"We can trust it," Stephen said. "Wong was positive it was the confirmation we needed, and it was. The author is a renowned expert on the phenomena."

"I also went to check the Reality Stone," Ianto went on, "as soon as we had the confirmation from the book." He looked a little haunted, but then who wouldn't have been, with hundreds and thousands of realities tumbling through their head?

"And I wasn't all that happy about it," Jack pointed out. "Although I can understand why he needed to do it _now_, and not rest for another day." He was decidedly not staring at Iohannes, just as Iohannes wasn't staring at him, but even Clint could sense the tension between the two of them. If what Iohannes had claimed was true, he had how own version of Jack Harkness waiting for him in his own world, and that they were as close to each other as Clint's own friends.

Ianto simply rolled his eyes at his husband's overprotectiveness. "I just did some scans, I didn't overdo it. And, I do think it could work. We would need to get a closer look at the side of the bond you carry, Clint, but once I do that I can make a search for its other, matching, side. That would lead us to Phil."

"And what about Iohannes?" Daisy wanted to know. "Can you get him home, too?" She'd become invested in their visitor's happiness, very quickly. But then, that was Daisy.

"That," Stephen sighed, "I'm not so sure about." He turned toward the elder dragon. "I'm sorry we couldn't give you any better news."

"Idris explained to me how magic works here," Iohannes said. "It is a bit different from magic on my world, which is actually fading out slowly. We don't have anything that matches with what you call the Void and the Deep Ways, at all. It least that I have been told, and I count some very powerful witches amongst my friends."

That…was worrying. If Crystal and Phil had been somehow sent to Iohannes' own world, they would have been completely cut off from the Void. The Elf had seen that happen to Phil before, and it had killed him.

But Idris had said that Lucky and Lockjaw were still alive, if only too far away for her to talk to. So, that left out _that_ particular worst-case scenario. Phil and Crystal were still alive, and that meant they could get them back. Clint had to have that sort of confidence if he wasn't going to go insane with worry.

"My Jack and I don't share that sort of bond," he went on. "However, what keeps my Jack alive past his own first death isn't the Deep Ways, like here. In my dimension, he was exposed to the Vortex, and that is what makes him my world's version of the Deathless."

Clint had heard him use that word before…dimension. Of course, he knew what it meant, but he'd never heard it referred to in the context of another world beyond the Veil. He supposed it suited the idea of a multiverse, but it was still strange to hear. But who was he to say if it was right or wrong?

"The Vortex?" Melinda inquired from her position by the door. She looked as if she was on guard… which she probably was. That was just Melinda's way, even though they were safe in the Keep. With all these visitors, even though she knew them, she was going to be vigilant until everyone who didn't live there were gone once more.

Andrew, standing next to her, put a hand on her arm. If he was hoping to get her to relax, it didn't succeed.

"Yes. The Time Vortex. It's what connects all of space and time in my own universe. My Jack is practically stuffed full of time. Plus, we're mates. There might not be a soul bond between us, but magic _has_ bound us together for eternity. Look at me, and see if you can find that magic. Then, if you have a way to sense the sort of concentrated time that Jack exudes…"

"There can't be that combination anywhere else," Ianto concluded. He stood, walking around the desk toward his other-reality counterpart. He had to chivvy the dragons to move in order to get closer, but Myfanwy was glad to help her Wizard with that. He held out his hands. "Let me _see_."

The dragon stood and took the Wizard's hands.

Clint watched.

As an Elf, of course he had a tiny, innate sense of magic. He couldn't see what a Wizard could, but he could _feel_ things, and his exceptional eyesight gave him a vision that no other non-magical person possessed. He watched as his Ianto touched the other Ianto, and in the blink of his eye he could make out the shape of the dragon, taking up the entire room and yet not there at all, green scales transparent, ghostly images surrounding them all and compressing the air in the room. Clint could tell that the others who weren't Wizards couldn't feel the sudden lack, but all the other Wizards gasped a little in surprise at the change in pressure.

Ianto's eyes had changed to their magical aspect, gold ellipses encircling the black, expanded pupil. The gold glittered with the Deep Ways, and as Clint watched, the edge of the ellipse flared, like the sun coming out of the shadow of the eclipse. The dragon settled back into a seated position, curled up like a cat, the smaller dragons cuddled up around him, at peace.

After that, Clint didn't see much. But something must have happened, because Daisy gave a little gasp, as did Wanda. Trip's eyes went wide with surprise, and Medusa's mouth dropped open. Stephen was nodding as if he'd expected this outcome, his own dark eyes having gained a faint, green tinge to them, turning them a light hazel. From what the archer had seen of the Great Wizard, he had some sort of affinity with time; he'd seen the man scan Artifacts and pinpoint their origin in the past with scary accuracy. Was he seeing the connection between Iohannes and his mate? That would make sense, if Clint was understanding what the dragon was saying.

He'd wondered about this other form of Deathless. If he was the same as their Jack Harkness or if something else had created him. Turned out, he hadn't been; instead of magic, time had been the culprit. Clint was curious to know how that had happened, but decided it would be crass to ask about it. Now, if Iohannes volunteered the information…

"I see what you mean." Ianto released Iohannes' hands. "The magic of your world is very much like Great magic, but that only makes sense. Great magic is the universal magic, and exists in all realities…well, _almost_ all realities. I…saw it, how it's fading from your world. Do you know why?"

"A loss of belief. Technology and religion have done their best to create an atmosphere of disbelief, and it's working. There's a prophecy saying that, one day, it'll come back even stronger than before, but that time is far in the future."

Clint just couldn't imagine an entire universe losing all of its magic like that. Sure, Master John had cut most of the magic off from their world, but that had been done on purpose, and hadn't really worked all that well. But to have it fading away…how was that possible? How could anyone not believe in magic? That confused him, but then he supposed not a lot of people believed until the first Wizard had been born again after so many centuries. He hadn't talked to Steve about it, and maybe he would. Because the archer was now curious about opinions on magic back during Steve's time.

After what Steve had been through, it probably hadn't been very good to begin with. After all, if only Hydra and the bad guys had gotten a hold of magical Artifacts…yeah, he could see where magic might have gotten a bad reputation.

"Our world lacked magic for hundreds of years," Ianto said, "but that was because of a spell that cut all magic off in order to avert a war in the future."

"That is a story I would like to hear, but perhaps another time." Iohannes took his seat once more.

"If we have time I'll be glad to tell you."

"And," Stephen added, "if we don't have time, I'm sure I can find a book on history for you to take back to your home with you."

"I would like that. Thank you, Grand Master." The dragon turned back toward Ianto. "Was there anything useful in your scan of me and my own magic?"

"Yes." Ianto took his own seat, leaning back into the leather chair. "Stephen, what about you?"

"There is definitely a bond there, it's just different from what we have," Stephen stated, "and there's a lot of time energy involved."

"Excuse me," Daisy piped up, "but can someone explain to the Wizards and others in the room who don't quite get what you're talking about?"

Clint had to agree, and was glad she'd asked. He really barely got the idea of the soul bond he'd somehow gained with Phil, although he wasn't going to look that particular gift horse in the mouth. It meant he could support Phil in ways others couldn't and, if Ianto was right, it could be used to bring him and Crystal back home. Sure, he'd been concerned that such a link would hurt Phil when Clint eventually died. But, now with Ashildr's offer on his mind, the archer understood that he didn't need to worry about that any longer. He could live as long as Phil, and his death wouldn't prey on him when that time would have come. Now, they would have to support each other when the rest of their family eventually passed on. It might not make it any easier, but Phil wouldn't be alone when that occurred.

In that moment, he understood that he'd made his decision. That he would approach Ashildr and take her up on her offer. She'd told him that she'd been a placeholder of sorts, until the Void Champion rose, but there had been a tiny doubt that Clint wasn't the one meant for that sort of destiny. He hadn't wanted to acknowledge it, but it had been there, hovering just outside conscious thought. Now, he could consider it and toss it aside, because he was the one meant to be with Phil forever. And he was going to do it.

Lucky had been a part of that, too. The archer put it together, Idris had known that this was going to happen and made the decision to gift Lucky to him, despite the fact that Clint wasn't any sort of Wizard. Somehow, the combination of his natural Elfishness and the growing bond with Phil had come together to allow him to also bond with Lucky. His natural love for all dragons had also added to that. She'd given him a companion, because he was going to have this destiny and had needed some sort of symbol of that destiny.

He had to wonder why Jack had never been gifted a dragon, but figured Myfanwy was enough for both the Deathless and Ianto to handle.

Oh, he'd talk to Phil about it first, when they got him back. The beginnings of their bond was already there, and it would only grow stronger with the years and the magic that would pass between them. He had to wonder just how powerful that bond would become, with time. Already, he'd been able to pass some of his strength to Phil, during his curse breaking with James, and he hadn't even realized he'd been doing it at the time. What would they be able to accomplish in fifty years? Or a hundred, or a thousand?

"From what I can tell," Stephen answered Daisy's question, "this Time Vortex has also touched Iohannes here, linking him a bit with his own Jack. It's not a thing like what our Jack and Ianto have, which is based in magic, and I doubt I would have even noticed it if I hadn't been deliberately searching for it, but it's as if time itself has marked Iohannes, and it should give me an anchor with which to work a way back to his own world, if his Jack is at the other end." He shrugged. "My family has always had a close relationship with time, going back hundreds of years. I can't physically affect it, but I can see it in things, and I always know what time of the day or night is. Agamotto is a power booster in that regard; it's his secondary dragon ability. He often aids in me dating Artifacts for Ianto."

"This is true," Ianto agreed. "You're the one who thought to push back my own estimate for the Mind Stone."

"Can you actually _see_ time, Grand Master?" Trip asked. He was sitting on the edge of his chair, looking very much like a bloodhound on a scent trail. Clint hid his smile at young man's keenness.

"In a way," Stephen answered. "Time affects everything, and I can see that effect."

"So you might be able to see my version of Jack throughout all of reality," Iohannes said.

"If he's that full of time, then yes. I should be able to locate him, as time affects him and he affects it. It should be fairly obvious if what you're saying is accurate."

"It is."

"Then sending you home is definitely workable," Ianto declared. "I'd like to get Phil and Crystal back first, because we have no idea where they are and if they have any access to their magic. Being cut off even a little will be detrimental to their physical and mental wellbeing."

"I'm fine with that," Iohannes agreed, "since I, myself, am not being affected by this dimension. As a matter of fact, I'm rather enjoying the sensation of magic against my scales. It's been a long time since I've felt that sort of thing. Now, the only thing that pings against my scales is the Rift that flows through the city where I now live."

"Rift?" Jack asked.

Iohannes nodded. "It's a Rift through time and space; it links the city with other worlds, although it's a bit random as to what world it's on at any given moment. I rather suspect that your Ruby Hale tapped into the various Rifts in reality, and that was how she was able to create so many portals. I assume it was the path of least resistance for your so-called Reality Stone…affect what was already there to gain the result you wanted."

Clint suspected that explanation was a bit simplistic, but then he really didn't quite get it anyway. The world where Iohannes came from must have been filled with wonders. He was curious to know if the place where Phil and Crystal had ended up was the same, where strange things were accepted as normal. His lover was bound to have some stories when he got home, and the archer was looking forward to hearing them.

"We should make the attempt to locate Phil and Crystal as soon as possible," Ianto pronounced. "We have no idea where they are, or what's happened to them, and getting them home safely is our priority."

"When are we doing this, then?" Daisy asked. Clint could tell she was practically vibrating with the need to get them back quickly.

"I don't see why we shouldn't do it immediately."

"Are you going to be up to it?" Jack asked worriedly.

"Jack, I'm fine. I promise. I wouldn't be suggesting it if I didn't believe I could do it. There's no way I'd risk either Phil or Crystal like that." His words were vaguely accusing.

Jack held up his hands in surrender. "You're right. I'm sorry for questioning you."

"No, it's alright. You're only concerned about me overextending myself."

Clint didn't want Ianto to risk himself, even if it meant waiting to get is loved ones back, but he also trusted the Wizard to know his limits. If Ianto hadn't thought he could do it, he was correct…he never would have suggested trying it right away.

No, Clint trusted Ianto with his life…and with Phil and Crystal's lives. And he'd do anything that his friend asked him to do, if it meant bringing them home in one piece.

"Then," he said, "let's do it."


	86. Chapter 86

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Having coffee with Bucky felt so familiar it almost made Steve cry.

Only he didn't, because Steward Sharon was watching them with an eagle eye, and he could see her trying to do the addition in her head, putting a man named Steve Rogers together with his friend named James Barnes and coming up with a sum in her head that didn't make sense.

Well, maybe the weeping was also being offset by the humor in the situation. Because Steward Sharon knew the old stories about the Paladin and his best friend and was obviously having a hard time reconciling the idea that there were two men out there with the same names and who were friends. It was hilarious.

"What was up with her?" Bucky asked as they left the kitchen after their coffee…which he doctored up as he had back when they were younger, which was another hopeful sign in Steve's opinion. He was beginning to suspect that his friend was remembering more than he thought he was, and it was showing up in tiny ways that wasn't immediately apparent to Buck. Maybe he'd keep on remembering, Steve was hopeful, but he would take what he could get.

"She's the many-times great granddaughter of someone we knew back during the Century War," Steve answered. "She grew up on stories about us, and she's trying to figure out just how much of a coincidence it is that a man named Steve Rogers knows a man named James Barnes. She doesn't know about the three hundred year nap in the Void I took and about your being cursed by Hydra."

Buck snorted. "She probably thinks our parents didn't like us all that much."

Steve laughed. "You're probably right about that." He sobered a little. "If you want to ever hear stories about us back then, just let me know."

His friend was silent for a moment. "I have these flashes of memory. Hells, one of the first flashes I had was of this blond man…who turned out to be you. It's like a constant itch in my brain, memories trying to come out but they can't, they're blocked somehow…Grand Master Ianto said it was possible they'll never fully come back, because they were wiped for so long, but I get the feeling he only gave me worst-case scenarios because he didn't want me to get my hopes up."

That was something Steve could understand. Ianto was a good man, and he would want to be cautious about false hope. He knew how magic worked, and what was possible, but he also knew about miracles and the impossible and knew they wouldn't be able to count on that happening. "I'm just glad you're alive, Buck," he said sincerely. "It's been hard, being in this time and knowing that everyone I'd had in my life back then was dead and dust. Having you back has…well, it's given me a bit of hope that everything's going to work out alright…or as much alright as it can be."

"I…had a dream last night." Bucky stopped walking. They were in the corridor outside the living quarters. At the far end was a large bay window, and he was staring toward the window, his eyes gone vague with recollection. "There was this skinny, sickly kid...and he'd climbed a tree. I was standing at the base of the tree, and I was cursing him out something fierce for even trying to climb that damned tree, because it was such a stupid thing to do and I was scared he'd fall and break his neck…"

Steve's heartbeat began to race. "That actually happened," he managed to keep his voice calm. "I was that sickly kid. Back when I was a boy, I was always sick. You kept trying to find ways to make me better. Gods, I think you went to every physician and hedge witch and charlatan out there, willing to do anything to get me healthy again. But, that day, you'd been talking to this traveling potion maker, who'd sworn he'd had this miracle brew that would give me the glow of good health once more. You'd come to fetch me, and I was so tired of you trying to fix me that I climbed that tree to escape your well-meaning but irritating meddling. The language you used was blistering." He laughed. "Your Mom overheard some of it, and she washed your mouth out with soap. Then she told _my_ Mom what I'd done, and I was literally grounded for two weeks. We were both in so much trouble."

Buck laughed; it was a slightly rusty sound like his laughter was now, but then he really had a lot to laugh about while under Hydra's control. "Sounds like you were a pain in my ass back then."

"That ass pain was mutual, you jerk."

"How did you even survive childhood?"

"I had my best friend who, despite the fact that I really hated his attempts to help, usually had my best interests as heart."

That friend's face turned fond. "Didn't want you to die on me, punk."

Every little glimpse of the old Bucky had Steve's heart soaring. "Well, I didn't want to die, either…but you were just a bit overbearing." He couldn't help but tease. Steve had honestly chafed at times under Bucky's overprotectiveness but, at the same time, Steve had done some _really_ stupid things.

"I really wish I could remember it all."

Buck's voice was so resigned, and so sad, that Steve had no choice but to pull him into a hug.

For a split second, Bucky stiffened, but the Knight persevered and, then his friend was relaxing, his remaining arm coming up to return the embrace. Steve sighed, not caring that they were both a bit smelly from their sparring; it wouldn't have even mattered if they were still sweaty, but that had dried as they'd drunk their coffee.

It was a little strange, because of the missing arm and the fact that Bucky was a little more muscular than he'd been the last time Steve had enjoyed a hug. Gods, he couldn't even fathom the notion that that had been three hundred years ago! But it had been right before that last fight, the one where Steve had thought he'd lost his best friend and the love of his life, the fight where the rage had made Steve lose whatever caution he'd had and had made him face down the Skull in his very hideout. Steve hadn't really wanted to live past Buck, and he'd honestly thought he was going to die…and when the Skull had held out the Tesseract and had banished him…

Oh, Gods.

Of course.

His own stiffening up had Bucky pulling away, confusion in his pale eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I know what that magical stone in Baron Tony's chest is." Oh, how could he have missed it? He should have realized right away, and yet he hadn't. How could he have been so blind…?

"Yeah," Bucky was still obviously confused, "Ianto called it the Space Stone."

"I have to talk to Baron Nick."

With that, Steve set off back down the hallway. At this time of the day, the Baron would be checking in with the others on the Baronial Council; it was his routine, when there wasn't a meeting of the actual Council scheduled, and he would have wanted to report on the success or failure of his Avengers Initiative. That would mean he'd be in his office, and so Steve headed off in that direction, Bucky on his heels.

"I have been a blind idiot," he castigated himself.

"What the hells?" Bucky demanded. "Steve, what are you on about?"

"I can't talk about it out in the middle of the hallway," he answered, "but I'm surprised you didn't recognize it, either."

"Memory like a particularly holey cheese," his friend reminded him. "A lot of shit has slipped through the gaps. What was I supposed to have recognized?"

Still, Steve was surprised that Bucky hadn't known what the Space Stone was immediately. After all, it had to have been what Hydra had used to help in the brainwashing and the cursing, although how that had worked…well, Steve wasn't a Wizard by any stretch of the imagination, so he'd have to ask Ianto or Stephen about it. Or, really, Phil when they got him back, because he knew more about the Void and the curses than perhaps his peers did. Maybe he could work it out, and explain it to Steve, because he really wanted to know what that thing could do and if this changed their opinion about it not being dangerous for Baron Tony to be carrying it around.

The Baron's office was on the first floor of the castle, not far from the Court chamber. The Baron's secretary wasn't at his desk, so Steve knocked to announce his presence and then entered, hoping he wasn't interrupting something secret and yet not really caring. It wasn't as if he wasn't privy to a lot of intelligence where the Council was concerned since, as Knights' Commander, he had his own place within the meeting chamber, and he'd overheard a lot. He'd even weighed in on at least one occasion, because Baron Nick encouraged that sort of thing.

Well, it was more a case of the Baron saying, _"Speak up when you hear any stupidity, Rogers. I want your input_," before that first-ever Council meeting. It had been a blunt statement and to the point, which worked for Steve, and he'd done just that. Baron Nick had been amused but he'd agreed with what Steve had pointed out.

The Baron was seated behind his desk, a bottle of his favorite wine opened and set on the blotter, which was in its usual state of neatness, ledgers and scrolls in tidy stacks across the surface of the immense piece of furniture. His Baronial Speaking stone was next to the bottle, and the Baron was holding the half-full glass of wine against his chest, his expression annoyed as he waved Steve to come in. His eye widened a little at Bucky's presence, but he seemed to accept it.

"All I'm saying," he was talking, "is that we need to leave Wizard business to the Wizards. All those kids are magical, and the Guild knows what's best for them."

Ah, they were discussing the children that they'd found yesterday, and apparently at least one of the Barons was giving everyone else grief about the handling of the situation. Steve recalled what he'd heard about Phil's first attempt at adopting Daisy, and he wondered if there were others on the Council who felt the same way as former Baron Jerald Stern had, about Wizards being assets to the Barony and not wanting them to be adopted out, to keep them as weapons…or worse.

_"__We need to be certain that the Guild follows proper protocol for orphan children," _a man's voice spoke through the stone.

"And they will," Baron Nick drawled. "What we _need_ to do is investigate each case and find the parents who tossed their own kids aside because of their magic." He rolled his eye at Steve, who immediately empathized with the disdain his boss was feeling. "And now, something's come up, and my Knights' Commander needs my attention. I would suggest we figure out where those poor kids came from, and then make sure their parents are held responsible for their actions. Good day." He slapped his hand against the stone; it wasn't usually how a Speaking stone was deactivated, but Steve knew his Baron well enough by now that he understood the frustration behind the move. "Thank you for barging in, certain Barons were beginning to get on my last nerve. So," he took a sip of wine, "just what disaster do I need to bless in order to thank you for the interruption?"

"It's the Space Stone," Steve began, "I've seen it before."

That had Baron Nick sitting up and setting his glass down. "Do tell." His single eye had gained an intenseness that would have had anyone else taking a step back.

But not Steve; he wasn't as easily intimidated.

"The Space Stone…it's the Skull's Tesseract. It's what sent me into the Void."


	87. Chapter 87

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Seven

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"I just can't explain it, Pep."

Tony was in the kitchen, being watched over by an indulgent Ana Jarvis. She was feeding him pastries that she'd made herself, and Tony really had no idea how many he'd eaten because they just seemed to mysteriously appear on his plate. Honestly, Ana was like a second mother, and he wouldn't have had it any other way…even though she wasn't that old. It really was too bad that an accident years back had made it impossible for her to conceive, because any kid she and Jarvis had would have had the best parents _ever_.

He wondered if the two of them wouldn't mind co-parenting with him and Pepper when they had their own heir. Because Tony just couldn't see himself as a Dad, and figured he'd need all the help he could get.

Pepper had come down to the kitchen in search of coffee, which Ana had also made appear as if the woman was a closet Wizard. Tony knew she wasn't, and figured her ability to make sure they were fed and caffeinated was some sort of housekeeper superpower.

Bruce hadn't made an appearance yet. Tony wasn't all that surprised; once the fight yesterday was over, he'd lost all the green and had collapsed in exhaustion. The Baron had wanted to ask him how he'd activated the remaining curses on his own like that, since he wasn't magic, but figured Brucie would share with him as soon as he was up and about. Jarvis had helped him tuck Bruce into bed, making that disapproving sound that always had Tony questioning his life choices.

Pepper was looking at him, and Tony couldn't tell what she was thinking. It was that damned mask she wore during Court, when she had to stand at his back and look impartial. Tony hated it, although he knew the reason she wore it during formal events. But now it was pointed toward him, and it made him want to cringe.

"It was the scariest damned thing I've ever done," he fumbled to explain. "But, at the same time, it felt right, like I was meant to be there, kicking monster ass and covering the people who'd come with me through Stephen's portal. I was protecting them, Pepper, and if was like it was meant to be."

Pepper blinked, and the mask vanished, replaced by a very tiny smile. "You know, it wasn't that long ago that you told me you didn't care about anyone else, only your inventions."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, I was a blind idiot. What can I say?"

Tony had tried to explain it last night, but Pepper hadn't wanted to hear it, content to go to bed with him and let him make love to her, wondering if this was what, _"oh Gods, I'm still alive"_, sex felt like. To be honest, as wonderful as it was, it wasn't something he wanted to repeat often. Regular sex was just fine with him, thank you very much. And, with his past, that was saying something.

"And you admitting that really is a sign of how much you've changed." Gods, she looked too proud of him. Proud, and worried. Not that Tony could blame her for the worried part. The pride, well, he wasn't so sure he deserved, but he was going to take it while it lasted.

But, she hadn't been wrong about his self-absorption and selfishness. And it had only taken getting kidnapped and a magical stone melded to his chest to get him to change.

"The armor worked almost perfectly," Tony enthused. He took a swig of his coffee, sure it would have been cold by then, and ended up scalding his tongue. He sent a mock glare over toward Ana, who just smiled that smile of hers that said she'd meant for that to happen. Damned non-magical housekeepers who had to actually be Wizards.

Pepper laughed as he stuck out his tongue and waved his hand over it. Not like that did any good, but it really had been more surprise than pain. "You said 'almost' perfectly?" she prompted.

She knew him so well, giving him something else to concentrate on than the transitory sting from the hot coffee. "I'm going to have to do _something_ about those actuators. They're just not sensitive enough to keep me steady in flight when I'm also using the repulsors to blast things. They were good during the fight, but they could be _better_."

"Did you feel any sort of draining from the stone?"

"No," he shook his head. "If anything, the more power I used, the stronger it seemed to get. Not sure how that worked, but I think the next time I use the armor I might want Ianto to do a scan of the stone afterward. He might get something from it."

Pepper nodded approvingly. Tony understood that she was worried about him, but she also knew she couldn't forbid him to use the armor. She understood the need for it, to protect innocents in a way he hadn't been protected from Stane and his plots. "I do think we also should have a healer on hand the next time as well. It could be putting stress on your body in ways you can't tell."

She had a point. Tony knew his own body, but the stone was an unknown quantity. If he wanted to keep using the armor, he needed to know all the variables.

Then Pepper's face turned worried. "And no sign of Phil and Crystal."

"Nope. None. Ianto was gonna figure out where they were sent. I'm sure we'll hear something as soon as there's something _to_ hear."

Tony didn't want to admit how worried he, himself, was about Phil and that little girl. He'd only met Crystal a couple of times, but she had this way of endearing herself to everyone around her. Maybe it was her tragic past, or the fact that she seemed to be recovering so well from that shit her parents put her through, but Tony – she'd called him Uncle Tony the second time they'd seen each other – had immediately told Pepper that they needed their own kid because, someday, those two would be best friends and he couldn't wait to build them stuff.

Pepper had laughed at him, commenting that Crystal wasn't the only reason to have a child. The Barony _did_ need an heir, after all. Still, if their child was only half as cute as Crystal Barton-Coulson, the Barony was going to be in for a wild ride. And Tony would be looking forward to the day he could legitimately scare away any boyfriends or girlfriends they might bring home.

"I know you're right," she admitted, "and I do trust Ianto and Stephen to come up with something. But that doesn't mean I can't feel completely helpless in this situation."

"And you have magic and feel that way. Can you imagine how Clint must be feeling? He doesn't have any magic at all, so he can't really do anything to bring them home."

"Exactly." Pepper took a sip of her own coffee; Tony could tell she was being cautious in the face of his own tongue burning. "Poor Clint and Daisy. They have to be terrified."

"Oh, and I didn't get to tell you about the other kid…"

Tony went on to tell her all the other gory details, about Medusa and all the other kids that had been living in that valley. There was a lot to tell, and Pepper was looking mighty grave at the end of the story.

"This is a mess," she sighed. "I don't get it…why parents act the way they do when their children turn out to be Wizards. Especially Void or Cardinal Wizards. We have to fix this, Tony. The Wizard's Guild needs Phil back, because he's going to be the hope of changing the hearts and minds of those who hold it against anyone what magic flows through them. And those poor children…if the Greats who believe the worst of Cardinals and Voids can't see what their rhetoric is doing…"

"Pep, don't get me wrong, here. Phil's a good guy, despite all that shit in his past. But even he's gonna need the support of his friends if he's hoping to change people." Tony had the utmost respect for the guy, but not even he could take on the world, no matter how powerful his magic was. It was going to take a lot more than that to get those idiots in Great Order to see reason. "I know the three Grand Masters are in this together, but it's going to take a lot more than a united front."

"I know. And I'm worried that even with the truth staring them in the face, the few Greats responsible for the lies that are affecting so many people aren't going to change their opinions, and it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Pepper looked almost defeated, which was never something Tony ever wanted to see again. But, sometimes, it just didn't matter what was obvious; people were going to hate and fear the wrong things, and innocent people would get caught in the crossfire.

See, Phil Coulson, and little Crystal, for two perfect examples.

And now, a valley full of kids.

"Pep," he leaned against the kitchen counter were Ana was busily slicing vegetables for lunch, "what's the protocol for those kids?"

"Well, they'll be taken into custody by the Barony they were found in –"

"Barony Olympia."

Pepper smiled. "That would be Master Joshua Bolt, then. He's a good man and a powerful Void. He'll be the one who will petition the Guild for an investigation, and the Guild will call for volunteers for fosterage and to help with counseling until those children's parents can be located and interrogated. Chances are, they won't argue about signing over their parental rights and, when that happens, we'll be looking for families who would want to adopt them. How many were there?"

"About two dozen. I didn't get an exact count, although we can't include Medusa in that. She's already got a home."

"One is too many," Pepper said solemnly. "But, two dozen? That's just sick."

Tony couldn't take that sadness in her eyes, and he set his mug down in order to wrap his arms around her. "I'm sure they'll be fine, eventually. Maybe you should mention Sam Wilson to the Guild? He might not be a Wizard, but he's a damned fine counselor. He's really helped Steve deal with his new future."

"I might do that. I know Sam mostly deals with mental issues due to battle, but you can't tell me those children aren't suffering from nearly the same thing."

"Yeah, and Mini Pepper was going on about cults and shit like that, it's bound to be a bit worse than that. Thinking about that, maybe someone should talk to Daisy as well. After all, her mother turned out to not only be a creepy cult figure, but also an undead hag of some kind."

Pepper shuddered against him. "Poor Daisy. Not only did she lose one of her fathers and her sister, she found out her very own birth mother was a lich. She can't be dealing all that well."

"She'll be better once Phil and Crystal are back."

She sighed, and then pulled away. "Someone's at the front door."

Damnit.

He barely had time to make his own step back before Jarvis came into the kitchen. "Your Grace, Mistress Pepper…Sir Steve and Sir James have arrived. They wish to see you urgently."

Tony frowned. He wondered just what was up with that? "Guess we should go and see what they want."

He offered his arm to Pepper gallantly, and she accepted it…after putting her own coffee mug down, shaking her head in amusement even as her own expression was curiosity mixed with concern. She was just as much in the dark as Tony was; as far as they knew, Steve and James were staying in Triskelia and this certainly didn't seem like a social call.

Steve was pacing the front hallway, with James standing off to the side and out of his way, stoic in a way that Tony was instantly wary of. The former Winter Knight's pale eyes met his, and the Baron wasn't sure what he was seeing in them, but he didn't like it.

It was obvious the moment Steve noticed them, because he stopped his rather frenetic movements and turned toward them, his expression communicating his freaking out without any need for spoken words. "Your Grace," he began. Then he shook his head. "Baron…Tony…I have to know about the gemstone in your chest. It's important…you have no idea."

Well, that wasn't at all what Tony had been expecting. "I've already explained everything I know. I got kidnapped, blown up and, when I woke up, the stone was attached and it wasn't coming off. According to the guy who was a prisoner with me, the terrorists who took me had found it and wanted Yinsen to find out how it worked. Instead, it bonded with me. Of course, now I know it's some sort of super-powerful Artifact called the Space Stone, and that does freak me out just a tad, but as long as it doesn't Teleport me across the world or even to another world, I'm good." He frowned. "Why the questions? I mean, you know about as much about it as I do."

Steve began pacing again. "I just needed to hear it again, I suppose."

"What the hells is going on?" the Baron demanded. "Don't you believe me when I tell you I have no fucking clue about the damned stone?" He was getting just a bit angry about it. After all, he'd say if he knew anything else…or, at least, he'd tell Ianto about it. Or Phil. He trusted both of them, and they were powerful enough to take him down if the stone…well, Tony didn't want to think about it, honestly, but it had been growing on him ever since Ianto had scanned the Space Stone and proclaimed it an ancient and scarily powerful Artifact made by the same Wizard who'd made the stone in Loki's staff that had managed to take over the minds of some pretty strong people, Clint Barton included.

Yeah, that was going to be the root of some pretty nasty nightmare fodder. Like he didn't have enough of those on his own.

Still, he could use the Space Stone for a good purpose: powering the armor he'd made so he could protect people. And he could count on his friends to protect others from him, if it came down to that.

"Back during the battle," Steve said, "seeing that stone," he pointed toward Tony's chest, where the gem was glowing under his tunic, hidden from view, "it pricked something, a memory, but I couldn't place it. This morning, I did."

"It's the Space Stone," Pepper replied. "But that wasn't a secret we kept from you."

"Yes, it's the Space Stone," the former Paladin confirmed, "but I knew it by another name. The Tesseract. It's the stone that the Skull was using in his attempts to conquer the world."

Suddenly, Tony couldn't breathe. The Tesseract. He'd heard horror stories about the Tesseract, and that had been before he'd found out that it had been used to cast Steve into the Void. Hells, the Tesseract was a part of his family history; that first Howard Stark had written about it, including all of the rumors and apocryphal tales he'd ever heard. No one had known where the Skull had gotten it but, back then, it had been used to commit so many atrocities history still hadn't managed to catalogue them all.

It had been used to put a lot of the curses on James Barnes, creating the Winter Knight.

And it was embedded in his chest.

Shit.

Pepper had her hand over her mouth in sheer horror, and Tony could completely relate. The Tesseract had been used in so many evil acts, it was impossible to contemplate them all.

Suddenly, Tony wanted it gone.

It didn't matter that it powered the very armor he'd built to protect innocents. That Ianto had proclaimed it safe enough for Tony to use it for that purpose. He hadn't known about its history, what it had been used to accomplish, and it made the Baron vaguely ill to know there was no way to remove it.

"Have you gone to Ianto about this yet?" He knew his friend would have a lot on his mind, what with Phil and Crystal being missing in some other reality, but this was also important. The Cardinal Grand Master needed to know about this, that they weren't just dealing with the Space Stone… it was the Tesseract as well, and that was bad news.

"Not yet, I wanted to talk to you first." Steve breathed out a shuddering sigh. "Tony, I'm sorry. I came barging in here and I didn't break the news very well…"

"Not sure there's a better way to do it," Tony snarked. He wanted to be angry with the whole thing, but he really couldn't be. Just because he was housing an evil Artifact in his chest…

But then, Ianto would have said if it was evil, wouldn't he? He would have warned Tony, surely.

Yes, he would have. Ianto Jones was a good man, and he would have had Tony's best interests at heart. He would have given some sort of warning about the Artifact if he's gotten any sort of hinky vibes from it.

"We should contact him," Pepper proclaimed. "We can call him on my mirror in the library."

With that, she spun on her heel and walked away, but not before she snagged Tony's hand in hers and gave it a comforting squeeze. Gods, he loved her so much, she was trying to support him through what she must have known was a pretty major mental crisis of doubt. That he could somehow be contaminated by whatever evil was within the Tesseract.

And yet, he'd been carrying around that Artifact for years, and he hadn't gone all rampage-y and bad. Tony's panic was subsiding a little, but he really did need to hear from Ianto on the subject.

Although, Pepper had been horrified, and Tony got the impression that it _hadn't_ been because Tony was connected forever to the Skull's main Artifact. Well, she was a pretty powerful Wizard in her own right, and certainly she'd be familiar with how these things worked. Maybe he wasn't in any more danger than before? She certainly wasn't acting like this was a matter of life and death. So, if she was this calm, maybe it was going to be alright.

Still, she was taking them all to her mirror, but then it only made sense that Ianto be made aware of the newest development. Pepper's calm didn't mean a thing if all the cards weren't on the table… and Tony had never thought he'd ever even consider that. Sure, he wasn't one for a lot of secrets, but there were times when he wasn't afraid to hide things. Like the armor. He hadn't mentioned a thing about the armor to anyone, except for Bruce, who was good at the equations needed to calculate if the stone in his chest would run the thing. And he knew how Pepper would react if she knew ahead of time that he'd planned on using it to power his own armor. She'd have been dead set against it.

Tony had always been of the opinion to do it first, and then apologize later. It had worked really well for him in the past and he wasn't averse to keeping up that habit.

Even before they were fully in front of the mirror, Pepper was activating it, the glass swirling as she used her magic to make the call. The fog faded, revealing Ianto's own study, which was empty.

No one came to the mirror.

"Looks like no one's home," James said sardonically.

Tony had almost forgotten he was there. He'd been silent as the grave ever since he and Steve had arrived.

Pepper waved a hand over the mirror, and it went all foggy again. When it cleared once more, it showed a bedroom. The room was empty, but someone hadn't bothered to make the bed and there was a set of purple sleep pants on it, tossed aside by whoever had worn them last night.

Really, Phil was going to have to either move his mirror or get a more public one. It was damned embarrassing looking into his and Clint's bedroom like this.

This time, however, someone showed up after a few minutes. It was Melinda May, her face not as emotionless as usual. In fact, she looked rather upset, and Tony would have bet a handful of gold it was because of the missing members of her family.

"Is Ianto there?" Pepper asked urgently.

_"__He was," _Melinda answered, _"but they found a way to get Phil and Crystal back, so they've all gone to see if they can do it. They're at the Wizard School Archives, where the Reality Stone was stored."_

Tony slumped a little in relief. If they had a plan to get them back, then hopefully it would work and everything would get back to normal.

"Thanks, Melinda," Pepper said gratefully. "I'll go and find Ianto there. And maybe he'll have Phil and Crystal with him."

_"__Is it that important?" _Her dark eyes were taking in all of them, scrutinizing them in that way she had, and that made Tony vaguely uncomfortable in ways only his mother or Ana brought out in him, like he'd stuck his hand in the jar where the cookies were kept and had taken a handful just before dinnertime.

"It could be."

Melinda didn't say anything, but she nodded in understanding. The mirror fogged out once more, the Steward not even bothering to say goodbye.

That seemed a very Melinda May thing to do.

"Looks like we're going to Gateway," Steve commented.


	88. Chapter 88

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Jack stood and watched as Ianto and Stephen levitated the Reality Stone into the laboratory that the two Grand Masters had commandeered for the purpose of finally attempting to locate Phil and Crystal and bring them home.

He wasn't overly happy about it.

Oh, not the part where they'd be finding their friends and saving them from whatever world they'd landed upon. That was a priority, because no one had any idea where they might be and what hells they might be going through. Gods only knew what sort of trouble Phil might have found himself in, and he would be protecting Crystal and their dragons at all cost. They needed to find them, and get them back.

What he _wasn't_ pleased with was the fact that Ianto was going to do it on not enough rest. His husband had been overextended only yesterday and yet, today, he was going to be messing with the Reality Stone _again_…and for the second time that damned day. He understood Ianto's need to do it, but he really needed to cool himself down and take a breath, because at this rate Jack was going to be carrying him home, and then what would Ianto accomplish?

Still, he knew there was no talking him out of it. This was driving Ianto, to get Phil and his daughter back, safe and sound, to their family. And screw the consequences to himself.

Really, it's one of the many reasons he loved Ianto Jones…his willingness to do anything for anyone he cared about, and it didn't matter what price he had to pay.

Jack just wished Ianto had a bit more preservation instinct than what he was showing at this moment.

The pair of Wizards set the black rock with its melted and fused Reality Stone down in the center of the lab. The first thing Ianto had asked when he and Stephen had gone to fetch the thing was to have them clear the lab of everything that might get damaged or destroyed if something went wrong, and Daisy had taken that task in hand, with the help of Wanda and Trip, who wouldn't be left behind when the plan had been hatched. Jack and Clint had done the heavy lifting, carrying the large worktables out into the hallway. Iohannes had given them a hand with the pair of storage cabinets, although why those needed to be removed Jack didn't know…although, he supposed that, if something catastrophic _did_ occur, those cabinets would make excellent battering rams.

There's been a bit of a fight when they'd left the Keep. Melinda and Andrew had both wanted to come as well, but someone had had to stay behind and look after Medusa, who also wanted to come but Clint had put his foot down. It was bad enough that Phil's Novices were with them, but at least they knew how to defend themselves if something went wrong. Medusa was only a new student, and had no idea of what her magic could even do, let alone how to control it.

Daisy could look after herself, see the battle yesterday for a good example of that. She still had a long way to go, control-wise, but she was coming along nicely. She, Jack knew, would also have cursed them all if she'd been left at the Keep. So there was no way anyone had been willing to even try to.

"Is it my imagination," Daisy murmured, coming to stand next to Jack, "or is that thing just plain creepy?"

Jack wasn't magic and Daisy was, so if she was feeling that way, then he couldn't be ashamed to admit the same. "Not your imagination."

"Ianto called it the Reality Stone. Where did he get that from?"

Jack knew that Daisy had been present when Ianto had scanned the Space Stone, but he didn't know if she knew about anything else. "There's this prophecy, about six Artifacts of great power. You know about the Space Stone," she nodded in reply to that, "but we also know where the Mind and Soul Stones are. That," he pointed toward the black lump of stone," is the fourth, the Reality Stone. We don't know what the other two are. In fact," he gave her a grin, "we were gonna put you and your team on research duty, see if you could comb the Archive for anything that would give us a clue about the other two stones. You did such a good job with locating that scroll on the Winter Knight's arm, after all."

"And it would give us all something to do, to keep us out of the way." Daisy's voice was teasing, so he could tell she wasn't insulted by being relegated to research duty.

"Well, you do seem to find trouble despite everything." Jack could tease her as well, and it was even funnier because it was true.

Daisy laughed. "Dad said almost the same thing the last time I saw him." She sobered immediately. "We'll get him and Crystal back, won't me?" She'd pitched her voice down, as if she hadn't wanted anyone else to hear her doubt.

"Ianto and Stephen are going to do everything in their power to make that happen," Jack reassured her. He could understand why she was concerned about failing to get her family home, but he was speaking the truth…Ianto was determined to bring Phil and Crystal back, and he was pretty certain he had a plan.

He glanced over to his husband. Clint and Iohannes had joined Ianto and Stephen near the stone, so Jack moved to listen in on what Ianto was telling them.

"—will need to use a little Mind magic to link you in, Clint," he was saying. "But I won't go looking for any secrets or anything you don't want me to know. I'm only interested in the bond between you and Phil, and once we get the correct portal open I'll need to monitor you as you go through after them."

"I trust you," the Elf said honestly. "And I'll agree to anything if it gets Phil and my youngest daughter back."

"Daisy." Ianto turned toward the young woman, who'd come with them. "You also share a bond with Phil, only different from the one Clint has. If something goes wrong, I might have to use that to bolster the magic I'll be using to locate Phil."

"No worries, Ianto," she answered determinedly. "I'm with Other Dad on wanting to do anything to get Dad and Crystal back."

Clint raised an eyebrow at her, even as Jack was trying hard not to laugh. "Other Dad?"

Daisy shrugged, her expression a little bit embarrassed. "I really haven't decided on what I want to call you, but it can't be just Dad because I already call Dad that, and I can't call you Daddy like Crystal does because that's just a bit immature for me."

"You can also use the Elvish word for 'father'," Clint suggested.

She looked interested. "And what is that?"

"It's _Ata_. And, since I'm Elvish…"

"Ata," Daisy mused. "I do like that. That would work." She gave him a sunny smile. "Fine. I'm with my Ata on this. If you need me, I'll be there."

The flush of pride on Clint's face made Jack himself smile. He had to wonder if the archer himself had any sort of good memories about that word, when he'd suggested it. Had he called his own father that, only to have suffered just one more betrayal? And now, he was giving his own daughter permission to use it.

"Now," Ianto directed, "if everyone not directly involved in the magic will you please step to the corners of the room? It should be Clint, Stephen, and I near the stone only."

That didn't sound like all that good an idea to Jack, and he said so.

"The room is small enough that you can dash to the rescue if needed," Ianto chuckled indulgently. "At this point, we just don't need the chance of being distracted by someone moving at just the wrong moment. And Jack…you're very distracting at times."

Jack couldn't help but leer at his husband. "Good to know."

"Gods," Daisy moaned. "You can get a room _after_ you've got my Dad and sister back, alright?"

Trip was trying to hide his grin behind his hand, while Wanda simply shook her head. Iohannes had this expression…fondness, and exasperation, and sadness all together. This had to have been familiar to him, if he and his own version of Jack were the same as Ianto and himself were. Jack made a mental note to tone it down a little, because he didn't want to hurt their friend any more than he's already been hurt.

"We should get this started," Stephen cut in. The immortal could tell that he'd noticed Iohannes' reaction, as had both Ianto and Clint.

"Agreed." Ianto held out a hand toward Clint. "Let's bring Phil and Crystal home."

"I can go along with that." The archer accepted the hand, Ianto drawing him forward even more.

"Now, what's going to happen is this. I am going to use your link with Phil in order to send you to him. We can't risk our portal appearing and Phil not being around to see or sense it. But I'm going to get as close to him as I possibly can, then it will be up to you to locate him and bring him and Crystal to the portal."

"I can do that." Clint looked determined.

"I'm going to be the one keeping the portal open," Stephen added. A smile quirked the side of his mouth upward. "I _am_ the portal Wizard, after all."

"You're going to be juggling two minds?" Jack frowned. "Ianto, your mind magic isn't all that strong…"

Ianto's old friend, Charles Xavier, had been the Master when it came to mind magic. He'd taught Ianto a few tricks, but the Wizard hadn't been that adept at it. Now, he was going to have to not only link minds with two different people, he was also going to have to keep the Reality Stone under his control. Ianto was powerful, but Jack was having just a few doubts about how his husband was going to be juggling all that.

"I won't be able to for long," Ianto admitted. "And, I admit, my mind magic is very rusty indeed. But Phil and Clint's bond should make it just a little bit easier, because I'll be relying on that to guide me along. There won't be so much of it between Clint and me, as there will be between Stephen and me."

"That doesn't make me feel any better, Ianto."

His husband smiled up at Jack. "I'll be fine. Trust me."

"Oh, I trust you. It's crazy powerful Artifacts I don't trust."

Which was true. He'd been in that valley, had seen what the Reality Stone had done to Ruby Hale's mind. She was wrecked, and chances were she'd never recover. That damned stone had damaged her, had used her, had taken her over, and yet it didn't have any sort of consciousness that Ianto could have felt. It had done all of that instinctively, perhaps had been following along with that young woman's thoughts, but she certainly hadn't had been able to control herself.

Ianto was much more powerful than Ruby Hale. Plus, he was a Catalyst, had first-hand experience with learning everything about an Artifact simply by touching it. He'd known the joys and sorrows of his power, had seen what good Artifacts could do, as well as the price that innocents could end up paying if something went wrong. There was no one on this world that Jack trusted more with Artifacts than Ianto Jones, Grand Master of Cardinal Order, Cardinal Champion, one of the most powerful Wizards ever.

But, this Artifact was something else entirely. Something so powerful, so unprecedented, there was no telling what it could do. Phil had felt the need to dump the Mind Stone into the Void, and Ianto had wanted to do the same with the Soul Stone. Those two Artifacts had been created by the same Wizard, the Wizard who'd also made the Space Stone. The Reality Stone was just as dangerous, and yet Ianto needed to utilize it, which worried Jack more than he really wanted to admit.

Still, if this worked, then they would be getting a friend back, someone who was desperately needed not just by his Order, but by his family. And there was Crystal, who was just a kid, and she was trapped in another world she most likely didn't understand…with her Dad, who might have been able to cope a little better, but if that world they were trapped on was so very different…

Jack had to weigh his husband's health with the lives of their friends…their family. And the immortal knew there wasn't ever going to be a choice.

Ianto would choose family each and every time.

Jack had one thing to say, though, before the man he loved more than anything made the attempt.

He stepped in between Stephen and Clint, and kissed his husband to within an inch of his very long life. "If you lose your mind to that thing, I am going to kill you."

Ianto gave him a sunny smile. "I love you, too."

Jack returned the smile fondly. "Get to work, Ianto Jones."

"Yes, Sir."


	89. Chapter 89

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Eighty-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil managed to get Crystal to eat two more pieces of toast and some bacon, but after that she stopped.

He wasn't any better, although the boiled egg he'd added to his breakfast was more than what his little girl had had.

As they ate, Phil talked. He answered the Director's pointed questions about where they'd come from, about magic, and how they'd gotten onto the base. It appeared that some sort of alarm had gone off when he'd opened that door without the proper code – which, really, Phil didn't understand but thought it must have had something to do with the box that had the numbers on it – and that the Director had sent some of his people to check out the incursion. They'd all been surprised to see both Phil and Crystal, to say the least.

Phil couldn't bring himself to call the man by name. It was just too bizarre.

As they spoke, the Wizard's headache grew. Oh, not too badly at first but, by the time he'd decided he was finished eating, it had developed into a steady thumping right behind his eyes. He understood what it was: he was suffering from withdrawal, from the Void that had always been running through him, blood and bone, and that Void had been depleted and not replenished. His body was practically craving it, and there wasn't anything he could do.

Crystal dozed against him almost the entire time, except when she had been picking at the breakfast they'd been provided. He realized it must have been worse for her, since she didn't have the reserves that Phil had; also, she hadn't just managed to suck a lot of Void out of someone, and that extra bit of Void was keeping him going. Still, he was growing exhausted, and it was only going to get worse.

Gods, he hoped Ianto or Stephen or someone found them quickly. He had no idea how long Crystal would last. Let alone Phil himself.

After eating the chicken legs that another agent brought in, the two dragons curled up on the couch together. Lockjaw must have been feeling Crystal's own fatigue, because he slept deeply; Lola was worried, Phil could tell, as she tucked herself around the younger and smaller dragon, her protective instincts on full alert. She was also trying to soothe Phil himself, until he sent to her to stop. It was making him drowsy, and he couldn't afford that at the moment. Perhaps, once they were locked into the room they'd been given, but not now, not when he was out amongst strangers with the faces of loved ones.

In return for stories of his own world, the Director shared a few things about his own. Truth to tell, the Wizard found them outlandish, and yet there was no reason for the man to lie. All he really needed to do was turn and look at the enormous magical mirror on the wall behind him, the one that confused him so much and made his mind boggle, to know that any wonders his host spoke of were most likely real. Devices that flew, that rode along the ground without horses, of otherworldly beings that had come to this place – the world called Earth, which he thought didn't make sense; why name your world after the ground? – to either invade or to explore. It made him curious to know if there were other such worlds with life upon them nearby his own, and was determined to finish the observatory when he got home.

And yet, there was hardly any magic at all to explain these miracles. It was all science and technology.

After one such tale, Phil found himself shaking his head in disbelief. "Baron Tony should have been the one to be sent here. He'd love it."

"Baron Tony?" the Director inquired.

"Tony Stark, Baron Ferrous. He's always trying to invent things that mirror what magic can do. He's had some pretty impressive successes so far."

"Stark is a Baron on your world?" his counterpart was incredulous.

Phil found himself bristling a little at the tone. "He's an excellent leader. He's always trying to make things better for his Barony."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insulting." He did, indeed, look apologetic. "It's just that, here, Tony Stark might be a hero and a genius, but he's also a pain in the ass."

Phil barked a laugh which, worriedly, didn't wake Crystal. "That's fair." It was good to know that Baron Tony wasn't much changed on any world.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a young man dashed into the office, face pale and very familiar to Phil…it was a Leo Fitz doppelganger, about ten years older than the person who was a friend of Daisy's, and only not an Elf, either. Elves must not have existed on this world, as well as dragons.

"Director!" he exclaimed, his voice strident. It startled Crystal awake, and she clutched as his tunic as she eyed the new arrival. However, she didn't make a scene, so he guessed his daughter must have noticed the differences in the Leo lookalike and realized it wasn't the young man she knew. His arms tightened around her, cradling her close, and she sniffled around the handkerchief that the Director had provided after her last brush with weeping.

The young man didn't even react to the fact that his Director had a double in the room, with a child in his arms. Which meant, whatever had upset him, was so distracting he wasn't paying any attention.

"Fitz." The Director stood. "What's going on?"

"That monolith we discovered in the hold of that fake SHIELD's ship," he was breathing hard. "It took Jemma…"

"What?" the man was frowning in confusion.

"It's better if I show you."

Fitz reached for something on the desk; it was a box of some sort, with buttons on it. He aimed the box toward that moving mirror wall, pressing one of the buttons on it.

Intrigued and worried in equal measure, Phil turned to brave the slight nausea-inducing wall, to find that all the moving pictures had been replaced by a single, wall-sized image of a large room with a clear box in the center.

In the box was a large stone.

Phil squinted a little, but he couldn't make out that many details. Instead, he focused on the two people in the mirror…one was the human Jemma Simmons, and she was talking to what looked like the human Leo Fitz.

He glanced back at the young man with the box, then back to the mirror. How could Fitz be in two places at once? Was it some sort of illusion magic?

But no, there was no magical signature involved, and it was obvious that this Fitz wasn't a Wizard. But how could someone perform that sort of illusion without the use of magic? Perhaps he had a twin on this world?

He looked back at the mirror image. As he watched, the Fitz in the moving picture left the frame, leaving Agent Simmons alone with the odd rock.

Suddenly, to Phil's utter surprise, the rock melted. It flowed out of the clear box, swept up and over Jemma Simmons, and then was sucked back into that box, reforming itself with a swiftness that almost left the Wizard breathless.

Jemma Simmons had vanished.

Phil blinked. He blinked again.

That was unexpected.

And there still was no magical signature anywhere nearby.

Behind him, he could hear the Director and Fitz arguing, something about protocol and why the box had come open, but Phil ignored it. What he'd seen…it was not anything he'd ever seen before. Stone didn't simply melt like that and then reform itself, and wracking his brain he simply couldn't come up with any sort of spell that would accomplish it.

"Can I see that again?" he interrupted the argument.

Dead silence met his request.

The Wizard swiveled back around to regard the two men at the desk. Crystal grumbled a little at the movement, but she settled back down easily when he stroked along her back.

The two were staring at him. Phil wanted to roll his eyes, but didn't because he didn't want to exacerbate his headache anymore. "Is it possible to see the event again?" he asked once more. He wasn't at all familiar with what went into the mirror images, but he guessed it could be started all over. There were certain spells that could replay entire mirror conversations, after all. And, now that he considered the possibilities, it would explain how Fitz could be in the same room now, and in that room speaking with Agent Simmons as well…it was some sort of recording or replay.

It was amazing for not being magical.

Fitz fiddled with the box again, and Phil turned to watch the pictures once more. His eyes narrowed as the stone liquefied and swallowed Agent Simmons.

"I need to see it," he murmured.

"I just showed it to you again," Fitz answered hectically, and the Wizard finally figured out that it was upsetting him. If he was as close to this version of Jemma Simmons as he was the one on Phil's world, then he could understand why.

"No," he corrected gently, "I need to see the stone. Do you know what caused it to do that?"

"No idea, and I've scanned it with everything I know to." Fitz looked haggard, and worse than how Phil felt.

"Do you think you can figure it out?" the Director's expression was hopeful.

"I won't know until I see it in person."

With that, Phil stood, cradling Crystal in his arms. She was limp against him, and that scared him more than anything. Still, he had to help in some way, even if he could rule out magic involved. Honestly, if it was magic, these people would never know, because they were all about the technology and the lack of magical knowledge was disturbing.

He followed the Director and Agent Fitz away from the office and down a hallway and some metal stairs – really, these people used metal for everything – and through a common area, where they got some stares but Phil ignored them all in favor of trying to work out just what had caused a supposedly solid rock to turn into a fluid state and make a grown person vanish. Unless Jemma Simmons was inside the rock, but that would have meant a change in mass, and he hadn't noticed that on the moving images he'd seen.

Crystal mumbled something into his chest, and he clung to her more tightly. There was a part of him that was hoping that the rock was some sort of portal that could get them back home, that he could figure out a way to use it himself in some way. Yes, if he could, he'd do his best to retrieve the Director's agent from wherever she'd been taken…unless, of course, the rock had actually _eaten_ her, then of course there would only be mourning.

Phil glanced backward, and watched as Lola pushed Lockjaw along, the little dragon feeling the effects of Crystal's lethargy. The Director must have noticed; his eyes worried, he motioned to one of the people they were passing in the corridor, a thickset man wearing clothes like the Director was, calling, "Agent Koenig, pick up the little dragon, please."

The man – Koenig must have been his name – started, his face suddenly blooming with excitement. "Of course, Director Coulson," he practically chirped. He reached down toward Lockjaw, but looked at Lola and said, "May I?"

Lola trilled at him, nudging Lockjaw with her snout toward the agent's waiting arms. Obviously, this Koenig was alright, if Lola was encouraging Lockjaw to go with him. It certainly didn't hurt that the agent had such a look of wonder on his features as he lifted Lockjaw up carefully, the little dragon nestling himself down into the man's arms.

"Thank you," Phil said gratefully. "This place is affecting Crystal badly, and because Lockjaw is connected to her, it's affecting him as well."

"You did say something about that earlier." The Director started walking once more, Koenig bringing up the rear with Lola hovering at his side, very worried about the younger dragon.

"There are three Orders of Wizards: Cardinal, Great, and Void. Crystal and I are Void, and we depend upon the Void to power our spells. It's a part of us, like our own life's blood, and without it we'll slowly die. There's very little Void here, and it's not enough to sustain us. Crystal is feeling it worse because she doesn't have the reserves I do. And it's only going to get worse the longer we're here."

The Director glanced at him knowingly. "You're hoping the monolith that swallowed my agent is some sort of way to get back to your own dimension."

It took Phil a few moments to interpret what the man was saying, and it was because he'd used the term 'dimension' to describe this world he and Crystal had landed on. He hadn't ever heard it used in that context before. "I don't know," he admitted, "but we're slowly dying here, and I'll do anything I need to if it would get us home."

"We'll do whatever we can to help," his double promised, and Phil appreciated that.

Honestly, Phil would have loved exploring this world, to see what these people have achieved with their science and how such a lack of magic had molded these people into something different than what he was used to. However, that very lack of magic was going to make that impossible.

Oh, there was magic. It was vague, and it was Great magic, and it wouldn't sustain either himself or Crystal at all. Phil was existing off of his own personal reserves, and that wouldn't last forever.

It occurred to him that he could stay in this world and die a natural death. That he could choose to repudiate the Void and refuse to go back to the eternity of loneliness that was waiting for him.

But he couldn't do it.

Clint was waiting, and Daisy, and this place would kill Crystal before him. He wasn't about to die in a strange place, lost to his loved ones, and take his youngest daughter down with him. None of that was an option, even if it meant going back to being Void Champion and immortality. Phil was selfish, and he wanted to go back to the people who loved him, even though he'd lose them all one day. He wasn't about to trade a chance at a final death for losing Clint and Daisy and Crystal. And he would also be condemning both Lola and Lockjaw to death as well.

He could feel Lola's concern through their link, and yet she wasn't judging him for his thoughts. She would support him in whatever decision he would make, even though she might give him the hells for making it. His dragon could be very opinionated, and Phil loved her to bits for it.

So lost in his thoughts, Phil didn't realize they'd reached the room from the moving images until he stepped into it, and was facing what the Director had called a monolith.

It was a very appropriate word to use.

Even on its raised dais and in its clear box, the stone was taller than Phil was. It didn't look like much; just a tall stone, like one of the blocks that had once been used in the circles that still existed in all their broken majesty in the United Kingdom and other countries of the world. It was smooth, except for at the top, where it looked as if it had been broken in some way. There were five perfectly square holes drilled into it, as if someone had taken bits of it for some other purpose that was only known to those who'd done the drilling.

And yet, there was something ominous about it. Something that loomed in Phil's mind, an almost superstitious fear of the thing, and he took an involuntary step toward it, drawn by something that he couldn't identify.

There was a large man in the room, and Phil didn't manage to start when he recognized him as the double of Master Alphonso Mackenzie, the teaching Master to his daughter's Elven friends, Jemma and Leo. He'd seen enough since arriving that this didn't even surprise him anymore.

Deciding to trust this man, he asked, "Can you hold her please?"

The Master Mack double looked a little surprised at the request, but he took Crystal from Phil's arms with such an expression of tenderness he had to wonder if this version had a child of his own.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "She's not feeling well, so don't be surprised if she doesn't react to you."

"She going to be okay?" the man asked worriedly.

"If we can get home, then yes." He had to assume that there had been enough rumors about the man who looked like their Director and that there were dragons in the castle because this man wasn't reacting to any of them being there.

He then turned on his heel, walking determinedly toward the monolith. A shiver ran down his spine, but he ignored it, needing to figure this thing out and see if it's a way for them to get home again. He was desperately worried for his little girl and her dragon, and the longer they were trapped here, the worse off she would become…and himself, as well, only it would take longer with him.

However, the Void within him wouldn't last much longer. It was only a matter of time before he'd become sick like Crystal was, and then it would be a short time before the end. He might have once thought that dying would be a relief, but if he did die here he might not end up where Clint and Daisy would when they eventually did pass on.

That was unacceptable.

Lola went with him, his constant companion, supporting him while not being afraid to tell him off when it was necessary. She would be at his side no matter what happened, and being in this world also condemned her to death as well; dragons didn't live beyond their Wizard's own lifespan. He wasn't about to do that to her, as well.

The box that the monolith was in wasn't made of glass, like he'd believed from the images of the room he'd seen back in the Director's office. Instead, it was an odd material, slick and cool under his fingertips, but not with the sharp presence that glass had. This world truly was a world of wonders, to be able to make something like this, sturdier than glass and yet as clear. He would have to mention it to Baron Tony when he got home.

Phil knew he would have to scan the monolith magically, which would deplete his stores of Void, but he had no choice. He blinked, bringing his magical sight to bear, eyes tracking along the smooth planes of the stone, looking for any sort of clue as to what it was.

"This is…odd," he admitted, palms flat against the material that separated him from the monolith.

"What is it?" the Director asked.

"It's magic…and yet it's not. It's certainly not Void, because there isn't enough Void on this world to do any sort of spells, and it's not Cardinal, either, for the same reason. It's a strange sort of Great magic, but it's been twisted somehow…I'm not a Catalyst by any stretch of the imagination –"

"A what?" Fitz wanted to know.

Phil turned to regard the men standing there, watching him, not bothering to blink away his magical sight. He could tell that all four of them were startled by his eyes, knowing that they would be black with Void. "A Catalyst is someone who can touch a magical Artifact and, not only know what it did, but could also use it."

"Magic isn't real," the Leo doppelganger refuted.

"And that's why there isn't any here." Of course, that made sense. These people didn't believe in magic, but if that was the reason for the near-lack of it, or if it not being there had led to the disbelief, Phil couldn't say.

With his sight, he could see that none of the men were in the least bit magical. There was an odd shadow on the Director's chest, the taint of old and twisted magic, but that was it. He could also _see_ Crystal, see the fading of the Void within her, and a tear slipped from his eye to trail down his cheek. He'd hoped for more time, but even he could tell she wouldn't last past the next couple of days.

With grim determination, he went back to his perusal of the monolith. "Magic is very real," he explained. "Great magic is the fundamental magic of the multiverse, and there are rules that govern it just as there were physical rules that allow our realities to exist. In my world, the Voids and the Cardinals balance each other, and the Greats stand on the sharp edge of that balance, keeping that balance from tipping into chaos. Here…the Void and the Deep Ways have no way of entering, and so there's only Great magic, and even that's not all that strong here. Without the Void, my daughter and I will both die." He put his hand back on the surface of the box. It was as devoid of magic as everything else in this place. "I could attempt to open a Void Point, bring some of the Void here; but one, I don't know how your world would react to the sudden influx of Void, even if it wouldn't be much in the grand scheme of things; and two, I don't even know if it would work. And, even if I could, I wouldn't be able to close it again. I'm too weak now."

He knew he was rambling, but Phil couldn't stop himself. Knew that these strangers wouldn't be capable of understanding what he was even talking about.

The monolith glittered with magic and something else. He could _see_ it, but he couldn't identify it.

The front of the box was a door, fastened with a simple latch that Phil opened easily. He had the door pulled open and was stepping inside the box even as the people watching him were shouting in warning.

He slapped both hands against the stone.

It was warm to the touch, as if it had been sitting in the sun. The magic that had been used in its creation tingled under his palms, and the moment he touched it he knew he'd be unable to use it to get home. Oh, the monolith was indeed a portal…

"It's a portal," he said aloud. "It's linked to one particular place, but I can't tell you where that place is. Your Agent Simmons was taken there."

"Can you open it and get her back?" the man who looked like Master Mack demanded.

Phil shook his head. "No. It's not that easy. It…" He frowned, wishing he had Stephen's innate sense of time. "It's…been created to open at specific times. I think those times coincide to where it's been linked to. You're going to have to wait for it to open again; I can't tell you when that will be."

His disappointment was as sharp as the frustration he was feeling. He couldn't even get their agent back, let alone use this to get him and Crystal and the dragons home.

Phil let his hands slip from the rock. He went to take a step out of the box, but he stumbled, weak with the use of magic he couldn't really have afforded to use on something that hadn't worked. Someone put a hand under his elbow, holding him steady on his feet; he looked up, seeing the Director standing there, his eyes kind in their concern. "Come back," he urged almost silently.

Blinking the magic from his eyes, Phil allowed the other man to guide him away from the monolith, letting Fitz shut and latch the door once more. "I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"I get the feeling you shouldn't have even tried."

"I had to." Phil felt a little light-headed, but it was clearing. Still, the hollowness within him had grown, and he mourned the loss of the Void he'd used. "Your agent could be in danger, and I know what it's like to be trapped somewhere you don't know." He didn't have to add that he'd hoped to use the portal to get home; but then, he thought he didn't need to. The Director already knew and understood.

"Did you manage to find out anything else?" Fitz pressed, his worry for Agent Simmons evident.

"No, I'm sorry. I tried."

"Don't be sorry," the Director said, "we know more now than we did a few minutes ago."

"And at least we know the bloody stone didn't actually eat Simmons," Fitz sighed. "She could very well be alive out there, somewhere." He straightened. "Director, requesting permission to begin the investigation."

The Director smiled at him fondly. "Get to it, Agent."

As Fitz bustled out, Phil said, "I hope you find her."

"So do I. Simmons has been with the team from the beginning, and the last thing I want to do is lose anyone. There's been enough of that already."

The man's eyes went dark with loss, and Phil reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder, attempting to comfort him, as the Director had tried to do with him.

Suddenly, Phil felt…the Void. It came rushing back into the places he'd lost it from, strengthening his body, soul, and magic in an almighty rush that had him feeling weak in the knees, although in a good way.

He threw his senses outward, looking for the source. He couldn't _see_ it, so it wasn't in the same room, but it was certainly within the castle, somewhere near enough. He could practically taste it on his tongue, smell it in the air…Void, and it didn't belong there. They would need to close whatever Void Point had opened, he had no idea what the Void coming into a world without it would do in the long run.

Crystal grumbled as she awoke, snuffled a little, said, "Hello, Master Mack," then straightened up in the man's arms. "Oh, I'm sorry. You're not Master Mack. You don't have any magic." She blinked her eyes at him, then yawned, and in his magical sight Phil could see the Void reenergizing her, as well.

"Afraid not," the stranger with the familiar face smiled down at the little girl, obviously charmed. Honestly, Phil was going to have to curse her dates when it was that time, wasn't he, if she could charm people already.

Gods, he was going to be one of those overprotective fathers…oh, he was already. He just approved of Daisy's boyfriend, Lincoln, which was why he was so easy on the young man.

Clint, though…that could very well be another matter entirely.

"Dad!" she wriggled, wanting to be let down. "I'm feeling much better now!"

She was obliged, and Crystal ran toward Phil, throwing her arms around his legs. He hugged her, so very glad that she was much more herself. He'd been incredibly worried about his little girl; she'd been fading fast.

Lockjaw chirped from where he was being carried by Agent Koenig. The little dragon had managed to twist a little, so he could lick the man holding him, making the man laugh. He set Lockjaw on the ground, where he was promptly nuzzled by Lola, her way of making certain the young dragon was also fine.

The Director stiffened, which Phil didn't notice until he ordered, "Get a team down there right away. I'm on my way."

It took the Wizard a heartbeat to realize that he must have been speaking to someone over that speaking device in his ear. He knew what whoever it was who'd spoken to the Director was reporting something, and he knew what it was.

"We have another intruder," the Director rapped. "Down in the same area you appeared in."

"And they're here for us, for Crystal and me." He grinned. "It looks like we're going home."


	90. Chapter 90

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Having Ianto touch his mind wasn't so bad, really.

Clint stood next to both Ianto and Stephen, watching as they worked around the Reality Stone. Stephen had his hand on the stone, as did Ianto; Myfanwy had settled at Ianto's feet, while Agamotto was draped about Stephen's shoulders, the dragon's eyes glowing softly as the two Wizards cast their spells. On the edge of his mind, he could _feel_ Ianto's concentration, and for the first time the tingle of magic, and Clint had to wonder if Phil's magic felt that way as well, or if the Void was different. Oh, he knew how Phil described it; as cold and warm at the same time, like an old friend who'd just come in from the snow. There hadn't been anything about tingling, though, so Clint thought that was just the Deep Ways.

Would that be how it would feel when he took Ashildr up on her offer? Would he feel the Void within him all the time? Did Jack always feel the Deep Ways like that? He could ask, but he supposed that didn't matter. Once Phil got home, he was going to find Ashildr and accept what she wanted to give him. He wanted to spend his forever with Phil.

"You're going to bring them home," Daisy proclaimed, coming to stand with him while he waited.

Her confidence in him was staggering. "I'll do my best," he vowed, meeting her eyes. He wasn't going to lie to her, or give her false hope. Anything could have happened to Phil and Crystal, despite the fact that, as of last night, Idris still sensed their dragons. That was last night; today was a new day, and there was no telling what Clint would find once he stepped through whatever portal the two Wizards managed to conjure up.

He had to be pragmatic and yet, at the same time, he was going to do his damnedest to bring the rest of his family home. He had an eternity to plan with the man he loved, and he wanted to raise Crystal into a woman who was going to be as amazing as Daisy was. And then there was Medusa, because he and Phil were going to officially adopt her as well, and they were both needed to help her recover from what had happened to her. There was just too much to do, for Clint to do it alone.

Trip and Wanda joined them, and he could tell they were just as confident as Daisy was. Really, he had no idea how he'd earned that sort of thing. For a majority of his life, Clint hadn't been the best of people, and he hadn't really had the best role models. Sure, there'd been Old Man Carson, but he'd been an employer, even as much as he tried to take care of an unruly orphan who'd been talented beyond his age. The owner of the traveling show had managed to calm Clint down, a little, but all that hard work had been lost when the Elf had been betrayed by his own brother.

Now, Clint was adult enough to recognize that his relationship with Barney was on the mend, per the UnEarthly Child's prediction. It would take time, and things might not ever get to the point it had been when they'd been boys, but they had a chance to repair what had been damaged.

Clint knew an instant before Ianto announced it, that everything was ready.

He gave Daisy a hug for luck – Wanda ducked in and hugged him as well, which Clint appreciated – and readied his bow, setting an arrow to the string. He had no idea what he was going to be running into on the other side of the portal that was slowly forming under Stephen's direction; the Great Wizard was about the only one Clint knew that didn't use Teleport Artifacts, and could open a portal to anywhere in the world, so he trusted the man to get it right.

Just as he trusted Ianto to have found Clint's missing fiancé and daughter.

The archer strode toward the portal. Through the glowing and sparking circle, he could see what looked like a corridor, perhaps in a castle, made of red brick…which was an odd thing to build a castle out of. There were no windows at all, strangely-shaped glowglobes hanging from the ceiling, lighting the way.

Framed in the circle was a single man, his jaw dropped in surprise. He was wearing dark clothing, of a style Clint hadn't seen before, but then he wasn't an arbiter of fashion so he didn't really pay any attention. There was an odd holster on his belt, something sticking out of it, and the archer was willing to bet it was some sort of weapon.

Stepping through the portal, Clint had his bow up, arrow pointed right at the man's heart. "Don't draw your weapon," he hissed, hoping the man spoke the same language.

His hand didn't anywhere near that weird weapon. Instead, he tapped his ear and fairly shouted, "Intruder in Storage Area B! I repeat, intruder in Storage Area B!"

Clint frowned, confused. "Who the hells are you speaking to?" At least there wasn't going to be any sort of language barrier, even if the person's accent was odd. Clint didn't see any sign of a speaking stone or anything, but he was pretty sure the man hadn't been talking to himself.

The man didn't answer the question, raising his hands in surrender. "Put down the bow, and we can talk about this."

It was said in that placating tone that Clint knew was used to de-escalate situations that could spin out of control at any moment, and he barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. Whoever he'd talked to, he'd warned that Clint was there and, chances were, there were more of his sort on the way. He needed to get some answers, and fast.

"I'm looking for a man, a little girl, and two dragons," the archer said, not dropping the arrowhead from its target. "We know they were sent here; if I can find them, then I'll go. But, until I do, there's no way in any of the hells I'm putting my bow down."

The sound of running started, and Clint glanced down the corridor in the direction of the noise. Four more people – two men and two women – were coming toward them, and to Clint's surprise he recognized one of them. "Bobbi?" he blurted, unable to help himself.

The woman who looked like Bobbi, his ex-wife, blinked in surprise. She was dressed in odd clothes; not the trousers, Bobbi had only worn a dress once in the entire time he'd known her, and that had been on their wedding day. It was the cut of the clothing, and the material; the shirt she had on had words written across it, some of them readable and some not so much. Her hair was also a little longer than he'd seen just yesterday, and she carried a set of staves in her hands, not the pair of long daggers he knew.

This might have looked like Bobbi Morse, but it wasn't.

"Well," she said, surprise coloring her words, "this is not what I was expecting. Clint Barton, right?"

"That's right." So, there was a version of him around somewhere, as well.

"You look like the Barton I know, except for the ears. His ears aren't so…pointed."

So, his double wasn't an Elf. That seemed inconceivable, but there was something about her that she believed.

"He also doesn't have a dragon."

Lucky chirped a greeting at her, his own confusion echoing Clint's. Still, that didn't stop the silly dragon from going right up to her and demanding attention. The man Clint was covering with his bow flinched a little, looking as if he was going to go for that strange weapon holstered at his waist, but Bobbi laughed, slipped the pair of staves into sheaths on her back, and gave Lucky the loving he felt he was entitled to.

"I'm here for Phil and Crystal." The archer got the impression that she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"I figured as much." She looked behind him. "That's where you're from?"

Clint didn't turn, knowing what she was seeing: the laboratory where he'd just come from, with Ianto and Stephen and Daisy and the stone. "Yep."

She made a noise that could have been either accepting or interested, he couldn't tell what it was. "Well, the ones you're looking for are with the Director, who's on his way." She looked around at the people in the hall, three of which had those short weapons out and aimed right at Clint. "Lower your guns," she ordered, "he's a friendly."

A couple of them looked as if they thought she was crazy, but everyone holstered those so-called 'guns' they were holding. Clint waited until everyone was done before releasing the draw on his bow, although he kept the arrow nocked, just in case.

"Agent Morse," a familiar voice called from behind the group, "everyone, stand down."

Clint's heart began beating roughly against his chest as Phil stepped into view from behind the group.

Only, it wasn't Phil.

This man was a little older, a little more worn down, wearing more odd clothes that were different from what the others were; his seemed more formal, with a short jacket over shirt and trousers. His hair was also a little thinner, his eyes tired…oh, and he was missing his left hand, judging from the way the black sling he had on was hanging against his chest.

This man didn't seem surprised to see him. "Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD," he introduced himself.

"Clint Barton…Master Archer and troubleshooter for the Court of Triskelia and Baron Nicholas Fury." Well, he really didn't have a title for what he did for Nick, but figured if this person was giving one, Clint might as well do the same, although 'Director' wasn't one he was familiar with.

This Phil Coulson looked amused by that. "I think I'm going to enjoy telling Nick he's a Baron in another dimension. He'll get a kick out of it." He, also, glanced around the gathering in the hallway, nodding once toward the portal, acknowledging the people watching from the opening. "Come with me, and I'll take you to the Grand Master and Crystal."

"They're alright?" Clint had to know, he couldn't wait to see them. He followed this man down the corridor, slipping his arrow into his quiver as they walked. Lucky trotted right up to this Phil's side, demanding his due, and the man chuckled and gave it to him.

"They are now. Apparently, this place affected their magic, but when that portal opened it seemed to recharge both of them. I'll be honest…I was getting worried."

That had been what Ianto had been the most concerned about, that Phil and Crystal had ended up on a world that didn't have magic. The portal must have released some magic into this world, which meant both Phil and Crystal needed to get home as soon as possible. Well, for two reasons, really; to get their magic back, and because Stephen and Ianto wouldn't be able to hold the portal open indefinitely.

He could feel Ianto's question in the back of his mind, and he sent back a report, hoping the Wizard could hear it. The mind magic wasn't all that strong, meant to really just keep an eye on him now that he was through the portal, but Ianto's emotions were a bit like Lucky's, in a way, only not as strong.

Clint paid attention to the path they took. This castle was strange, built oddly, and he didn't care for it one bit. It was wrong, but he couldn't have said why that was. He wanted to go home with Phil and his daughter, and forget they'd ever been exiled here.

"How long will that gateway stay open?" the Director person as he led the way.

"Not long. Ianto and Stephen are powerful, but they're dealing with an Artifact that literally took over another person's mind, destroyed them mentally while it forced her to create all sorts of portals that brought an invasion of monsters into a hidden valley in the Olympia Mountains."

The Director blinked as he took in that bit of information. "I suspect there's a lot more to that story than what you're telling."

Clint didn't bother to either confirm or deny that guess.

"And that large rock I saw through the portal…that's this so-called Artifact?"

Now, that Clint _did_ confirm.

"Does this sort of thing happen in your universe a lot? I mean, the dangerous Artifact thing."

"It used to happen all the time, back when magic had been cut off from the world. People would find these lost Artifacts, try to use them, and make a hash out of it. Wars have been started because of Artifacts. People have been cursed, and even killed, because of Artifacts." He thought of Steve, who'd been exiled to the Void for hundreds of years, and of James, cursed so badly he couldn't even recall who he really was anymore.

"That sounds…lovely." The sarcasm wasn't even veiled in his voice.

"It's not so bad anymore, not with the Wizard's Guild. There are still idiots out there but, on the whole, the Guild does good work. _Phil_ does good work, and so do Ianto and Stephen. They're our last defense against the dark." He shrugged. "There's a lot of bad out in the world, but those three fight for what's right. And they'll keep on fighting until there's nothing out there left to fight."

Clint was so very proud of his Phil, for taking up that battle. Oh, he'd heard about the would-be hermit version of the man he loved, who'd hidden from the world, but that hadn't been Phil Coulson. That had been an interim identity, caught between the Dark One and the Grand Master, and while there would always be a part of Clint that wished he could have spent those years with Phil, another part was glad he'd never seen that persona.

Clint ignored the stares of those they passed. Honestly, hadn't they ever seen an Elf before?

"We don't have Elves here," his escort pointed out, "although I suspect it's partly that, and partly who you look like here. Our Clint Barton is a pretty famous hero around here."

"Yet another big difference between my world and yours." Clint was no hero. He was an ex-traveling show attraction, ex-mercenary, misfit who just happened to luck into a family and a relationship that would last forever if he had anything to say about it.

Lucky, sensing the downward turn of his thoughts, abandoned walking beside the Phil lookalike and darted back to Clint, cooing at him a little sadly. To the dragon, Clint was a hero, because the One Mother had told him so, and everything the Queen of Air and Fire said held weight with her children.

The Elf could _feel_ that, emanating him his companion, and he gave Lucky a brief, small, smile of gratitude for it.

"I get the feeling your friend there disagrees with that assessment," the Director said knowingly.

"Yeah, well. Lucky's biased."

Lucky gave that the response it deserved…a raspberry that echoed through the hallway, drawing attention – and snickers – from the people walking around them.

Clint's guide led him into a large room, empty except for a large case – it wasn't made of glass, but it was clear like glass – with a really big rock in it. It gave him the chills, the archer couldn't figure out why, but there was something about it that bothered him, like it was unnatural…it was like this place, with its odd-smelling air and the strange noises and the people who weren't like anyone he'd ever met and yet were perfectly human. He wasn't afraid to admit that he wanted to take his family and go home, back to where things were familiar and well-loved and he could be free of the strangeness.

There were two other familiar people in the room, and another he didn't recognize, thank the Gods. Clint was getting tired of all these duplicates and doppelgangers and the very idea of alternate realities was giving him a headache.

And then, there was Phil, and Crystal, and Lola and Lockjaw…Clint let out the breath he had no idea he'd been holding.

However, it looked as if Phil was busy with something, if his standing in front of that weird stone with his arms outstretched, Void dancing around his fingertips.

_Damnit_, Phil…

"Daddy!" Crystal's happy cry drew his attention away from his lover. His little girl was running toward him, and he grabbed her up in a fierce hug, lifting her in his arms, pitifully glad to see her again, to know that she was fine.

"Hello, sweetheart," he murmured into her hair. Clint felt tears prickling his eyes, and he didn't want to let her go, ever again. He'd only just got her, and he'd almost lost her.

"You're her other father?" the Director sounded surprised.

Clint bristled. Didn't they have same-sex relationships on this world? "Yes, I am," he answered brusquely, ready to defend himself and Phil from whatever condemnation they were about to get heaped on both of them.

Instead, the man looked…confused. Like it had never occurred to him that this could be happening. It wasn't that he didn't understand the idea, it was that he hadn't seen that it could happen to _him_.

In this world, this version of Phil apparently didn't like men the way Clint's Phil did.

Alright, he was willing to let that slide, then.

"Sorry," the man apologized, the archer's tone communicating itself to him.

"No worries," Clint waved a hand at him, even while he was still holding Crystal. "What the hells is he doing?"

The man who was obviously another version of Leo Fitz – only much older than the kid he knew – answered the question, "The…thing, took –"

"One of our agents," Other Phil interrupted. "The Grand Master claimed it was some sort of portal, magic but not. As soon as you came through to here, he was…like that."

"The Void came back, Daddy," Crystal put in. "It wasn't here before, but then it was, and Dad was using it."

Of course, Phil would want to save lives. He would want to use the Void that had come into this world at the opening of the portal back, to help whoever it was that yet another Artifact had taken. It would be too much like what had happened to him and Crystal, and Phil Coulson had a noble streak a league wide. How that streak had ever been hidden under the demeanor of the Dark One, was a mystery Clint didn't think would ever be solved.

"Damnit, Phil," he muttered out loud. "You just had to be all noble, when we really need to get home."

"You wouldn't love me any other way," Phil tossed out of over his shoulder. His eyes met Clint's and, even as obscured by Void as they were, shown just how glad he was to see Clint standing there.

"True," the archer grumbled, "but you need to hurry it up; Ianto and Stephen can't hold the portal open much longer."

"I'm just about done here." He turned back to whatever he was doing. "I'm trying to get this portal to open, but in this place I'm just not powerful enough." His arms dropped to his sides, shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry, I thought I could do something to get your Agent Simmons back."

Simmons. Clint started at the name. Was that this place's version of Jemma Simmons? It would explain why the Leo Fitz here was so worried, if they were indeed as close here as they were back home.

Phil turned, the Void fading from his eyes. "This monolith, as you call it, will open again; I'm just not strong enough in this world to force it to do so. It works on a harmonic that I cannot tune my magic to, a vibration in the very universe itself, but if you find that vibration, it will open. Or, you can wait until it opens on its own. It will; I just can't say when that will be."

"You tried," the Phil double replied, "that's all you can do."

"We'll figure something else out," the man who resembled Alphonso Mackenzie added, "and if we can't, then we'll just have to wait. At least we know she's not trapped inside that stone."

"You should go." The Director person offered his hands to Phil. "It's been a pleasure to meet you. And, good luck with your version of Hydra."

Smiling, Phil accepted the handshake; at least the greeting was the same. "And you with yours."

"We're going home now, Dad?" Crystal asked.

"We are," Phil agreed. He nodded to the strangers. "As much as I have enjoyed seeing new things, I hope that we never meet again. No offense."

"None taken." Doppelganger Phil smiled. "Let me walk you back to your portal."

It couldn't be fast enough in Clint's opinion. He just wanted to get everyone home and safe.


	91. Chapter 91

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Nine

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Daisy went up and down on her toes in sheer nerves as she watched Clint step through the portal, run into a complete stranger, then threaten said stranger with his bow.

She couldn't make out what he was saying to the person, of course, but she could tell it was threatening because of the arrow aimed in the guy's direction.

The place beyond the portal was…weird. She couldn't see much of it, but she thought it must have been some sort of castle, only there weren't any windows and who built a castle out of red bricks, anyway? The man was human, but his clothes were strange, and it really struck Daisy that her Ata had just stepped onto another world, and so far it didn't look all that friendly. It made her want to run through herself and make a mess, but she couldn't risk it. Ianto and Stephen might need her, if things go wrong and they needed to reopen the portal. The link she had with Dad, and to a much smaller extent Crystal and Clint, would help them do that.

But damn, it was hard to just stand there and watch.

Then the woman showed up, with several fierce-looking people in tow, pointing what only could have been weapons at her Ata. The woman carried a wicked-looking pair of staves in her hands, and looked like she could seriously kick ass at any moment. However, the moment she saw Clint, she seemed somewhat amused, and the group with her lowered their hands with the odd-looking weapons.

It took Daisy a moment to realize that she'd seen her before…Bobbi Morse, from the traveling show, the one who'd been on the team Jack had gotten together to look over things there.

So there were apparently doppelgangers of people they knew living in this other world.

_Lovely_.

And then the man who looked like her Dad showed up.

Oh, it was obviously not her Dad. For one thing, Dad wasn't missing his left hand. He also looked a little older and careworn, and was dressed just was weirdly as anyone else in that other world.

Daisy wanted to much to follow Clint as the man led him and Lucky away. It was all she could do stay in place and wait.

The magic that Stephen and Ianto were working with tingled against her skin. It wasn't all that comfortable; the Reality Stone just wasn't _right_, and she had to wonder if it had been created that way, or if it had something to do with the way it had been melted into the black rock that was making it like that. She knew that the gemstone in Tony's chest was a sister stone, and it had never really given her the creeps like the Reality Stone did. Something that powerful, would it have some sort of consciousness of its own? Neither Grand Master had mentioned anything like that, but Daisy had seen how the Reality Stone had taken over Ruby Hale, had seen the Novice access magic that she wasn't strong enough of a Wizard to have. So, she thought it was a valid supposition.

It seemed to take forever. She glanced up to see Wanda, Trip, and Jack all watching them closely. Jack was looking very worried, but then this was his husband anchoring the magic that was being used to bring back Dad and Crystal. Wanda and Trip were also concerned, but Wanda was fidgeting with the new gauntlets Dad had made for her, while Trip was chewing the thumbnail of his left hand, in as close to nervous as he usually got.

Off to the side, Iohannes was also watching, but his was a considered expression. After all, he didn't know any of them really, but it was good of him to also be concerned. There was also the fact that him getting home once more depended on the success of this first part of the mission. And Daisy knew he really wanted to get back to his home; she wanted that for him, as well. He had to be missing his own family just as much as Daisy was missing hers, and being trapped in a strange place had to be preying on him. Daisy felt the urge to hug him, but she didn't dare leave where she was standing. Ianto and Stephen might need her, or Dad or Ata or Crystal might need her, and she needed to be close by.

Gods, what was she going to do if the portal closed and Clint was also trapped on the other side? It would just be her; Medusa would be taken away, to another temporary home, because she hadn't been officially adopted yet. It would leave Daisy alone in that huge Keep, the only ones left Melinda and Andrew…

No, that wasn't true. She had Uncle Nick, and Natasha, and her new Uncles Steve and James, and Ianto and Jack… she also had Clint's side of the family; she quite liked Aunt Laura, but Uncle Barney still had a ways to go to get her forgiveness for being a jerk toward her Ata. So, she wasn't as alone as she'd thought.

Still, she wanted her entire family, at home, where she can keep an eye on them all.

Daisy kept watch. The corridor wasn't empty; she could see the Bobbi Morse double there, examining the portal and aiming something at it that the young Wizard couldn't identify. Others loitered about the area, getting a really good look at her; she waved insouciantly at them, with a snarky smirk on her lips.

And then, her own double decided to put in an appearance.

Now, that was just a little bit mind boggling.

This Daisy was older than her, which was also really weird. Her hair was shorter, and she didn't have the purple dyed streak that Daisy herself had started to wear a couple of weeks ago, on the advice of Aunt Natasha, who'd taken her to Triskelia Town and had put her in the hands of a hairdresser who looked old enough to have been Daisy's great-grandmother – if she'd had one – and with the steadiest hands the young Wizard had ever seen and the sassiest sense of humor _ever_. Daisy had immediately adored her.

This other version of herself was wearing gauntlets, but they weren't like the ones Daisy had. But why did she have them? The young Wizard wasn't getting the sense of much magic through the portal, and there wasn't any sort of magical aura around her duplicate, so it was a mystery that Daisy didn't quite know how to solve.

That other Daisy stepped right up to the portal, but didn't come through. Instead, she regarded Daisy, a curious expression on her face. She said something, but the words didn't come through the portal.

"Sorry," she mouthed, knowing that, chances were, her other self wouldn't hear them, either.

"Here." Wanda appeared, pressing a journal into Daisy's hands, along with a fountain pen that she recognized as being one of her Dad's. Wanda had most likely gotten it from Dad's casting chamber, in one of their lessons.

"Thanks." She was grateful that her friend had had her lessons materials with her.

Wanda smiled. "If that was me, I'd want to talk to me, too."

Daisy grinned, opening the journal and flipping it through to the first blank page, past unfinished spell diagrams and notes on things Dad had told her.

Hoping that the other Daisy could read it, she printed out,

_I'm Daisy._

Her other self laughed, calling back over her shoulder. The Bobbi lookalike stepped forward, passing her a strange board thing with some paper held to it by a metal clip of some sort, writing on it then turning it around so Daisy could see it.

_I'm Daisy too._

It was a scrawling script, but perfectly readable.

This was so fantastic.

Daisy made another note.

_And this is my dragon, Skye._

Skye, who was perched on her shoulder as usual, chirped a greeting and Daisy could she her waving a claw in her peripheral vision.

The Daisy on the other side of the portal looked surprised by that, and then she laughed.

_So, Coulson is your dad in that reality?_

And he wasn't in that place? Daisy felt a bit sad for her other self. She had no idea what an awesome father Phil Coulson was. That he'd saved her, raised her, and made her into the person she was today.

Daisy nodded, flipping the page on the journal and scribbling,

_He's a great Dad. _

The other Daisy looked a little wistful, and the young Wizard thought that, perhaps, she wished that he _was_ her Dad.

_I'm sure he is._

There was a commotion at the end of the corridor and, coming toward her, was the Phil Coulson double and, with him, her Dad, her Ata, and her sister.

Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. They were alright. She had no idea just how worried she'd been, until the worry was gone, replaced by a joy that warmed every single empty spot within her.

The moment Crystal caught sight of her, she was out of Clint's arms and racing down the hallway and through the portal. Daisy had her sister in her arms before she even realized she was bending over to grab her up, embracing Crystal fiercely and never wanting to let her go again.

"Daisy!" Crystal shouted in her ear.

Daisy didn't mind being temporarily deafened. Not one bit. She was just glad that her family was coming home, safe and sound.

She pulled away a little in order to get a good look at Crystal. Her sister was pale, and her eyes were overly bright, but otherwise she seemed to be just fine. "Are you alright?"

Crystal nodded. "That place didn't have any magic, Daisy. Well, not much. And it made me sleepy. But I'm okay now."

The young Wizard wanted to shiver at that. It had been a genuine fear, that Dad and Crystal would end up somewhere without magic, and not be able to help themselves. Obviously, though, there was at least a little there, because they were both still alive, but it must have been a very miniscule amount, just enough to keep them going. How long would they have lasted if Ianto and Stephen hadn't been able to find them? It was terrifying to even contemplate.

Skye was off her shoulders and greeting Lockjaw the moment the dragon was also through the portal, cooing at him in greeting and rubbing her snout against his. Myfanwy, as the elder dragon, was also there as if she'd teleported, examining the younger dragon closely, as if checking him over for any sort of damage done. She seemed satisfied when Lockjaw made several chirping noises at her, but he gladly accepted the cuddling she was insisting upon giving him.

Daisy glanced over Crystal's head toward the portal, watching as Dad and Clint bid farewell to the people on the other side, her Dad duplicate handing some sort of bag to Dad. She felt a sudden itch under her skin, the need for them and their dragons to get on with it already, that all the politeness wasn't necessary. She just wanted them to get their asses home.

Now.

And then, they were through.

The portal closed.

Daisy was in her Dad's arms the moment his feet hit the stone floor of the laboratory.

She gave a small sob as his arms slipped around her, hugging her to him, a thump as the bag he'd been given fell to the floor. Daisy finally relaxed, knowing that Dad was home; Clint took Crystal back from her in order for the young woman to wrap her own arms around Dad, clutching the back of his tunic and never wanting to let him go. She knew she was being overly emotional, but this was her _Dad_. There had been a real chance that she could have lost him forever.

Then Wanda was there as well, joining in on the hug. A small part of Daisy was irritated, that she wanted to have him to herself for just a little while longer, but she pushed it aside. Wanda loved him, too, only in a different way, and had been just as worried as they all had that he might not ever come home again. She deserved to welcome him back, as well. And it wasn't like she wouldn't go home to her own parents pretty soon, leaving Daisy and the rest of the family to look after Dad and Crystal once she was gone.

Trip had approached as well, clapping a hand to Dad's shoulder; Jack was with him, a large smile on his face. It took a little bit for Ianto and Stephen to join them, needing to shut down the magic that they'd been using in order to keep the portal open. That tingling she'd been feeling faded away, and she was grateful that it was going. She hadn't liked it, but she also knew that Ianto and Stephen would have to do it one more time, to get Iohannes back to his own world.

She really wanted to see the dragon off. She quite liked Iohannes, even if she thought it was a little creepy that he looked so much like Ianto. Still, she'd been the one who'd conversed in a way with her own double, so who was she to talk?

"That was something I don't care to ever experience again," Dad commented, as they stood within the circle of their friends and family.

Clint had one arm around Dad's waist. "You're not the only one."

Daisy had to agree with that sentiment.

"We have one more thing to do," Ianto said. He looked tired and pale, and there was a pinch between his eyebrows that let Daisy know that he had a headache, but she also knew that he wasn't about to make Iohannes stay away from his mate any longer than needed.

That was when Dad noticed the other man in the room. He looked curious as he regarded Iohannes, his eyes flashing with Void then widening in surprise at what he'd seen. "You're definitely not from around here," he greeted dryly.

Iohannes barked a laugh. "Oh, you are very much like my own Phil Coulson. And no, I'm not. I got dragged here by your Ruby Hale when she went looking for monsters in other dimensions."

"I can tell you're magical, but not a magic I know…"

"Iohannes is a dragon," Jack replied. "He's an otherworldly dragon who can change into a human form."

"Really. Now, that is amazing." Dad reached around them all to offer his hand. "Phil Coulson, Grand Master of Void Order."

"Ianto Jones. But everyone has been calling me Iohannes, just to avoid confusion."

"I'm sorry about you getting pulled into our mess, but I'm sure Ianto and Stephen will be able to get you home."

"We can." Stephen looked confident, if a little tired as well. "Why don't we do that now, before Jack drags Ianto back home and back to bed?"

"If you and Ianto are up to it, then I won't object."

"Let me do this first." Ianto reached out and touched Clint on the forehead; a spark passed between them, and her Ata jerked back a little, then smiled. "Thank you for letting me do that, it made things a lot easier."

"No problem. Like I said, I'd do anything if it meant getting Phil and Crystal back."

Dad was looking curious, which meant that they were going to get interrogated once they got home. Daisy didn't mind, because that meant they were all going to be heading home _together_. Which was all she really wanted.

Her family was back, and Daisy couldn't have been happier.


	92. Chapter 92

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Two

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

It was easier to work with the Reality Stone this time, than it had been back in the Valley.

Ianto believed it had to do with a certain willpower. Ruby Hale had been inherently weak in that way; while Ianto himself had a will that had once been compared to the stubbornness of about a thousand mules all rolled into one person.

Alright, Jack used the term 'damned stubbornness', but it was the same thing, really.

He also had Stephen more involved. His fellow Grand Master was always a pleasure to work with, Stephen's steady presence at his back a welcome bedrock upon which Ianto could stand. With the minor mind magicks Ianto had learned from his now-gone friend, Charles Xavier, connecting them even peripherally, holding the tenuous grip on Clint's own mind between them and using his bond with Phil as a lifeline, the Elf stepping onto another world through the portal they'd managed to generate using the now-quiescent Reality Stone.

Still, even if the stone was being cooperative, didn't mean that Ianto could hold the portal open forever, even with his friend's help.

Luckily for them all, he hadn't needed to. The moment they all stepped back through the portal, Ianto let his magic relax, the door onto that strange world closing for good. While he'd had it open, the Cardinal Wizard would sense certain things about it…like the near-total lack of Deep Ways and Void there. He was glad they'd managed to locate both Phil and Crystal so quickly, because there was no way either of them would have lasted long there.

Standing, Ianto felt tired…but not as bad as he would have thought. He joined in on greeting Phil and Crystal, but his eyes trailed to Iohannes, his double, and knew he had enough strength to send the dragon in man shape back to his own world.

Quickly, though, Ianto broke the spell between himself and Clint. His Elf friend hadn't seemed all that uncomfortable with the mental invasion, but then the Wizard understood that Clint trusted him, and that trust had been what had allowed him to make the connection he had. Besides, he would have done anything to find his lover and their daughter, and that included sharing his mind with someone.

Once everyone had welcomed the two back, he and Stephen got back to work. He sat beside the Reality Stone, trying to attune himself back to the magicks of it, his hand resting on one of the red crystal lines that ran through the ordinary rock…rock that had been warped just slightly by the presence of the powerful Artifact melted within its mass.

Iohannes stepped forward. "I'm afraid you won't be able to use any sort of mind magic on me. My mind is slightly different from a human's, and I've had that tried on me before and it didn't work." There was an expression on his face that told Ianto that it hadn't just not worked, it had ended disastrously.

"I won't need to," Ianto said to reassure him. "We'll be using the massive amount of time that your version of Jack puts out. In this, I won't be in charge; Stephen will be."

"And your link is different," Stephen added. "Plus, we won't be bringing you back."

Iohannes nodded. "I believe I understand."

"Ianto, are you about ready?"

He glanced upward at his friend. "Yes. One moment."

The Cardinal Wizard bent his mind back to the Reality Stone. It was quiet under his control, which was still a surprise. From his experience, the Artifact had been anything but cooperative but, as he'd assumed, chances were it had more to do with Ruby Hale than the actual Artifact itself. He wouldn't want to test that too much, but all he had to do was convince it to get Iohannes home.

To do that, Ianto had to search through the realities once again.

But, this time, he would have Stephen along with him.

It would be Stephen who would be searching for Iohannes' version of the Deathless, this one so full of time that he should be immediately noticeable. All of that time had left its mark on the dragon as well, and Stephen was confident it could locate it and use that mark to confirm that they had the correct world.

Using the Reality Stone was like surfing through the multiverse, gliding along the various and different realities, and yet it took effort not to get distracted by what he was seeing in each one. Back, when he'd first touched the stone, he'd been tossed into the multiverse without any preparation, and he'd almost been overwhelmed. This time, he knew what to expect.

That didn't make it any easier, though. But at least there wasn't so much a chance of being lost.

He'd read treatises on the nature of the multiverse, some written far in the past, while others newer and with more up-to-date theories. There were also the various religious tomes, about how the Gods created the vastness of space and time and reality, separating them all with the Veil Between the Worlds, each different and yet the same. Ianto wasn't the most religious person in the world, but he did understand there were certain truths in the teachings, if a person could remove the hyperbole and exaggeration from the base parts of the old tales.

However, seeing that multiverse through the lens of the Reality Stone…it was amazing and terrifying all at once. Even managing to ignore a majority of what was revealed by his magic, Ianto couldn't help but notice certain things as his mind skimmed the realities. Places where magic didn't exist, and others where that was all there was. Versions of himself that called out to his soul, reaching out for its duplicate, wanting to be whole in a way that souls weren't, and yet no one realized they would never be complete. It was heartbreaking in a way, but people were meant to be like that, souls sundered by the Gods in order to create beings across every single universe there was. Universes uncounted, unnumbered, into infinity.

And, in each reality, there were those with links between their souls.

People meant to be together, to be better than the sum of their parts. Like him, and Jack. And Phil and Clint. Those links were so incredibly rare, and yet Ianto could see them clearly through the stone and his magic. Perhaps a dozen within each reality, if that…and many of the pairings were familiar, were himself and Jack, multiplied many times over, as well as Phil and Clint…and some surprises, like Steve and James, in universes where they'd never been parted by death and disaster.

He found himself wanting to linger, but refrained. He didn't have the time, and he needed to locate Iohannes' version of Jack before his strength did finally flag.

A familiar touch on the shoulder signaled him that Stephen may have found the version of Deathless they were searching for. Yes…now that Ianto's attention had been brought to this particular reality, he could practically _feel_ the oddness about this Jack Harkness, how the forces of the universe curved about him, as if he was a stone in the middle of a river, strong and unmovable. While he couldn't see what Stephen was, Ianto could guess this was the one…

"Stop."

Stephen's soft voice kept Ianto from prompting the Reality Stone to open a portal to that reality. He waited as his friend assessed the situation.

"It's the wrong one," Stephen reported, "there's no bond of time between him and Iohannes."

"So, there's more than one version of Jack like he described." That shouldn't surprise him; as there were so many types of Ianto Joneses, there would have been at least that many Jack Harknesses. He was certainly glad that there was some other sort of bond between their guest and his mate, or else he could very well have ended up somewhere else.

It was like looking for a piece of straw in a very large haystack.

They managed to locate six Jack Harknesses with the necessary energy signature before Stephen signaled him to stop.

"That's the one."

Ianto took a closer look at the world Stephen indicated. It certainly lacked magic, as Iohannes had claimed, but there was some, all a version of Great magic, as it seemed to usually be. Perhaps their world was the unusual one, with all three sorts of magic so prevalent.

But there was so much in the way of variety…worlds of Void and Deep Ways and Great magic, just as there were worlds with all three and none. It truly was amazing, and despite the reason for it, Ianto was both grateful for seeing them, and wishing he never had.

"Form the portal," he murmured. "We have it."

Stephen's gift had always been with portals. He hardly ever used Teleport Artifacts, generating the portals easily.

However, even he had limits. Creating a portal between realities was not within his power. However, he had the Reality Stone, which was able to create its own version, and it was a relatively simple matter to create one in the right place.

The portal formed just in front of Ianto. Glancing up, he could see into it; it was a massive room, with a fountain in the center of it that extended all the way up to the ceiling high above. It was brightly lit and yet gloomy at the same time, a dichotomy that reminded the Wizard of many of the abandoned Wizard's Towers he'd helped find when traveling with Jack.

However, the sense of magic he got…it was minimal, and yet there was something else…he wondered if this was the Rift that Iohannes had mentioned. It was a power that he'd never experienced before, and would be asking Stephen if it's the sort of time energy Iohannes had claimed that Rift exuded.

Someone approached the portal, someone very familiar to Ianto and yet different at the same time

This Jack Harkness was dressed in a blue work shirt, much like Ianto's own Jack wore. There were straps over the shoulders, connecting to brown trousers, with a strange holster on his belt. A leather bracer of some sort was on his left wrist, and another band on his right with a round attachment, and Ianto thought it might have been some sort of chronometer.

His hair was different, in some sort of spiked style, but it was the same shade, as was the blue of his narrowed eyes. As Ianto watched, those eyes widened; his mouth moved and, while he couldn't hear what he said, he knew the form of his name on the man's lips.

There were others in the chamber beyond; he saw versions of Toshiko, and there was Owen, and Ianto missed him like a shard of ice in his heart. His Owen had been long dead, of old age, surrounded by his family and friends in the end. Another one greatly resembled Phil enough that he assumed this man was a relative of that universe's Phil Coulson.

Others he didn't recognize, but that wasn't important. What was, was getting Iohannes back to his own reality.

Their dragon friend stepped forward. "Thank you," he said sincerely, his eyes meeting Ianto's. "I will never forget your kindness."

With that, he stepped through the portal, and right into that Jack's arms. He clutched onto the dragon as if he'd just regained something very precious.

Ianto suspected that he had, judging from the odd mating bond between them.

Iohannes pulled away long enough to wave. The others on that world had gathered around the embracing mates, watching as Stephen disengaged the portal.

The last thing Ianto saw was that Jack pulling that Ianto into a fierce kiss.

He suddenly very much wanted to kiss his own Jack.


	93. Chapter 93

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Three

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

They arrived at Ianto's house in Gateway, in the front garden…because, Pepper insisted, it was impolite to just show up in someone's casting chamber without the owner of the house being home. Steve could understand it, and at least Baroness Eirlys was there when Baron Tony knocked on the door.

Well, it was more like pounded on the door. The Baron of Ferrous was not at all subtle.

"Come in," she welcomed them, smiling.

The first time Steve had met Eirlys, he'd been surprised to learn that the Baroness Gateway was Jack and Ianto's daughter through a magical spell that allowed a man to carry a child. It had seemed fantastical to Steve at the time, but he could see the resemblance in her, despite the fact that she looked about twenty years older than her biological fathers.

When he learned she was actually near eighty, that had been a shock until he'd been told that Eirlys, while mortal, had a very extended life because of the Deep Ways running through both her parents. Her children were the same way, looking younger than they actually were. Ianto had said it would be the way of their biological family from now on, a part of the Harkness-Jones line until the end of time.

"Dad and Tad and the others are at the school," she explained as she showed them into the sitting room. Happy immediately puddled all over Eirlys' dragon, Corona, on the hearth.

"We know," Pepper said, taking a chair. "But they," she motioned toward the Baron, Bucky, and Steve, who were all taking seats – except Buck, who was content to stand in the corner and glower at everyone, "aren't cleared to go onto school grounds."

"Ah, the new security measures." Eirlys nodded. "They're quite good, even if I do say so myself."

She probably helped come up with them, Steve thought.

"Do you have any idea when they're gonna be back?" Baron Tony asked. He was still looking a little spooked at finding out that the gemstone in his chest had once been what the Skull had used to conquer a large chunk of the Western Lands and to exile Steve to the Void.

"Hopefully soon. You obviously know what they're doing there."

"We do," Steve confirmed, "and it's pretty urgent that we speak to everyone when they get back."

The sooner Ianto and the others knew that the Space Stone was actually the Tesseract, the better. Steve figured they'd need all of the information about it as soon as possible.

"I have no idea what condition Tad's going to be when they do get back." Eirlys walked over to a wine cabinet, offering them all something to drink. Pepper accepted a glass of a deep red wine, while Tony asked about one of the lower land liquors that had come into favor since after Steve went into the Void. Steve politely refused, as did Bucky. "There's no telling what trying to control the Reality Stone will do to him."

"Do you think he'll be able to get Phil and Crystal back?" Pepper sounded hopeful.

"I think he and Stephen have a good plan for it. And I also think they'll be able to get Iohannes back to his home world."

That was good. Steve knew what it was like to be trapped somewhere, where things were so different from what you knew. He was glad that Iohannes wouldn't be the same, although it that did somehow occur then he was going to help the dragon as best he could. He could even get Sam in on the act; the Knight got the feeling that Sam was feeling a little bored hanging out in Triskelia with not a lot to do except to hold Steve's hand whenever he was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Well, there was Bucky to consider now, so Sam might be a little more occupied for a little while.

As for Phil and Crystal…if Ianto and Stephen had figured out how to get them back, then the Knight had every confidence that they would succeed.

"How do they plan on doing it?" he asked, curious. Not that Steve knew a lot about magic, but any knowledge was good knowledge. And, he was honestly worried even though he truly believed they would be able to bring Phil and Crystal home.

"It seems that Phil and Clint have this soul bond…"

Eirlys went on to explain the concept of a soul bond, and Steve found himself fascinated by the idea that one person could be connected that deeply to another, and that Ianto and Stephen could use it in order to locate Phil on how many realities there were.

He couldn't help but glance over at Bucky, who was listening intently to the explanation Gateway's Baroness was giving. The Knight had to wonder if it was possible for regular people to have that sort of thing between them. He found himself wishing for it, to have a soul bond with someone he loved so much that it forged something between them and their loved one. That, one day, he and Buck might share something like that…

No, it had to be impossible. A soul bond was made of magic, and neither of them were Wizards. Of course, they'd each been the victim of magical Artifacts, and Steve had spent three hundred years in the Void, but that didn't mean a bond like that could ever form between the two. Hells, at this point there was no guarantee that his best friend would ever regain all of his memories, although he'd been showing flashes of behavior from back when they were…well, normal is the best word for it, he supposed.

There was a small commotion down the hallway as Eirlys finished her explanations. Everyone not standing was up on their feet; Eirlys was the first one out of the room, Steve on her heels. Down the corridor from the direction of Ianto's casting chamber, Jack and the Grand Master, along with Myfanwy, were coming toward them; Jack looked surprised, while Ianto – pale and exhausted looking – raised a single eyebrow in question. They were the only ones there, and Steve figured everyone else had gone home to their homes.

"We weren't expecting company," Jack drawled. "I take it you're here to find out what happened?"

"That too," Tony admitted, "but Steve here," he stabbed a finger in the former Paladin's direction, "had an epiphany that couldn't wait."

"That doesn't sound ominous _at all_," Ianto snarked. He made his way into the sitting room, dropping into the chair that Pepper had been seated in.

"I have to ask," Bucky butted into the conversation for the first time, "but did you get Phil and Crystal back?"

The irritation on Ianto's face smoothed out, and he smiled. "We did. They're on their way back home with Clint and Daisy. We also managed to get Iohannes back to his home world as well."

Bucky relaxed, for possibly the first time since Phil and Crystal had vanished. "Good. Maybe I can go by and check on them later."

The Grand Master nodded. "That would be an excellent idea, but I'd probably wait until tomorrow. They ended up on a world that didn't have much magic, and they're both pretty tired."

"I'll do that."

"Now," Jack pinned them all with a stare that could only have been described as a "thousand-year" glare, which of course he managed to pull off without any irony whatsoever, "just what couldn't wait for tomorrow?"

"Dad," Eirlys gave a glare of her own. "They wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

While Steve appreciated her standing up to Jack in order to justify their just dropping in on a day when Ianto was exhausted from saving their friends for being lost in any one of a multitude of realities, he felt a sudden stab of guilt over their barging in the way they had. Maybe it could have waited; after all, Baron Tony had been carrying around the Tesseract in his chest for years, and nothing had come of it except for the fact that it was apparently saving his life…

"Stop that," Baron Tony chided him roughly. "No feeling guilty when it was my idea to come here."

Yes, but if Steve hadn't practically panicked in the first place…

The Baron rolled his eyes. "Honestly." He turned his attention back to Ianto; Jack was just passing him a glass of wine, which he accepted with thanks. "Steve figured out that this," he stroked his hand down the front of his tunic, just above the gemstone melded to his skin, "is also the Tesseract that the Skull used to do all his bad shit with."

That had Ianto sitting forward, his blue eyes glittering sharply. He looked right at Steve. "Are you sure?"

The Knight didn't take offence at the doubt. "I didn't realize it at first, but it came to me this morning."

"That…makes sense." His gaze turned introspective. "From what history says of the Tesseract, it would certainly fall within the Space Stone's abilities to do what the Skull used it for. And, if Tony can siphon off power from it in order to power his armor, then the Skull could certainly have done the same in order to power the curses and such he'd used. And casting you into the Void, Steve."

"Well, shit." Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I know you said that thing was safe for Tony to power his armor, but…"

"I should think it still would be. Nothing's changed, except for our knowledge of what some megalomaniac got up to with it."

That was a relief. Steve had been very worried indeed about the corruptive nature of the gem, having been a witness to what the Skull had managed to use it for. He still had nightmares about the village that the bastard had reduced to a crater in the ground.

Knowing this was the Space Stone, Steve had to wonder if that village had been destroyed…or moved somewhere else. Had the place been uprooted by the power of the gem? It was certainly a possibility, now that he knew more of what he was dealing with.

"Tony," Ianto looked at the Baron intently. "I know you were fine with leaving the Space Stone as it was, but has this changed your mind? We can try to start researching a way to remove it, now that we know more."

"We were never sure it wasn't gonna start doing weirdness to me," the Baron commented, "and while the armor is useful in a fight – as we've proved – I'm not sure it's worth the risk."

Pepper, who'd stood next to him, reached over and grabbed onto his hand, her face relieved at his capitulation. "If we can find someone we trust to remove it, then Ianto can deal with the thing."

"And you can always create some other form of power source for the armor," Jack added. "You're a genius, you'll work it out."

The Baron looked contemplative. "If I can do that, make something that small and that powerful, and not have it rely on magic, I could adapt it for use in private homes and even entire villages…I've been trying to come up with an idea to shrink down the generator design I came up with, that Barony Uncelas wants to test. Maybe this is it." He gave them all a bright grin. "And, even if I have to use some magic in the initial design, it won't be so out there that I can't get a willing Wizard to help out."

"I'm sure we can look for trustworthy volunteers," Ianto said. "Perhaps Mistress Betty Ross, once we get her father behind bars."

"Bruce would love that." Pepper, in that moment, looked almost transcendently happy, the first time he'd ever seen that expression on her face. Yes, he'd seen her pleased, and other emotions that were close, but not this.

Steve realized that she'd always been worried about the magical stone in her husband's body, but had believed nothing could be done, even if Baron Tony had wanted to remove it. Now, she was getting some hope that it could be done, after all the blows and revelations that had come to them about it in the last couple of days.

The Knight hoped it could be accomplished. Both Baron Tony and Pepper had been good to him, taking him in when he'd first been brought out of the Void. He only wanted them to be happy, and this seemed to be the way to help that along.

And, he was beginning to believe, there were certain Wizards who, for them, the impossible was something they hadn't even met yet.


	94. Chapter 94

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Four

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

Phil smiled as the walls of his casting chamber surrounded him, glad that he and Crystal were finally back home.

Being in that other world, with people who looked like himself and his loved ones, had been jarring. Add to that the near-lack of magic…yes, being back at the Keep, with Clint and Daisy, and knowing that Melinda and Andrew were just up above his head, in the main areas of Shield Keep, it was something he had, a couple of times, despaired of ever seeing again.

Clint had his arm around his waist, even though Phil really didn't need the support. Still, he wasn't about to pull away, knowing that he might not have had this ever again. He was never going to take Clint's love for granted, or dismiss the intimacy of touch, ever again. In fact, he was going to suggest they get married sooner rather than later; the idea of him losing Clint before they had this sort of vow between them was heartbreaking. It was going to happen at some point anyway, and Phil simply didn't want to wait any longer.

Daisy's presence at his other side was also wonderful, a much-loved and familiar buzzing of Cardinal magic. Gods, how close had he come to almost losing this as well? He and Crystal could have died, if not for Ianto and Stephen and the support of their friends. They'd done an amazing thing, searching through every single reality, looking for him and Crystal, and he would never be able to thank them for not giving up.

He'd been happy to see Trip and Wanda as well but, as soon as he was home, they'd excused themselves, and Phil had told them that lessons would start up again in two days. They were both remarkable young people, and he'd been gratified that they'd cared enough to be there when he and Crystal were brought back. They'd hugged him again, then Crystal, and went home, Wanda quietly chastising him about getting into trouble without them.

"I think someone needs a nap," Daisy murmured.

Phil turned his head to look at her; she was carrying Crystal, who was resting her head against her elder sister's shoulder, her little face still pale with the strain of the last days. Her eyes were blinking slowly in that manner that said she was trying very hard to keep them open. She'd crashed pretty quickly, having had a short burst of energy as they'd left that other world, but now it was obvious that she'd had just as restless a night as he'd had, and the strain of being cut off from the Void had added to that exhaustion.

"I don't wanna take a nap," she whined softly, pouting.

"Well, I do," Phil told her. "Let's you and I take one and, when we wake up, maybe Andrew can find us something to eat."

He really wasn't all that tired; the moment he'd stepped foot back onto their world, the Void had come back to him in full force, energizing him almost to full strength. Oh, he wasn't recovered, not by a long chalk, but it was close enough that he could wait to sleep tonight. Being in the same bed with Clint would make that sleep a better one.

"Okay, Dad," Crystal capitulated.

"Why don't I take her up to her room?" Daisy suggested. "And Ata can take care of you, Dad."

"That sounds like an excellent plan." To be honest, he really didn't want to be separated from his eldest daughter any more than he wanted to be separated from Clint…

Wait…

"Ata?" he questioned.

"Oh yeah. It was Clint's idea. I was trying to figure out what to call him that wasn't his name, and he suggested it. It means Dad in Elvish."

Phil was aware of that, even though he didn't speak a lot of Elvish. He couldn't help the smile that widened his mouth. "That is perfect."

Clint was blushing a little, just at the tips of his ears, which Phil thought was absolutely adorable.

"Let's get that nap." Daisy hoisted Crystal up a little more on her hip.

Crystal didn't answer; she was already mostly asleep.

Lockjaw, yawning, followed Daisy through the door. The little dragon would be out soon as well and, while he hadn't suffered nearly as badly as Crystal had, he would have been feeling her distress through their link and it would have affected him just as badly. He had to have been just as exhausted.

"I can tell you're not really that tired," Clint commented once they were alone, except for Lola and Lucky.

"If I sleep now, I won't tonight," Phil confirmed. He set the bag he'd gotten from the Director onto the nearest workbench; he hadn't looked inside, but he thought there were at least several books within it. The bag itself was made of a fabric, much like the shopping bags that Andrew would take with him to the market. He'd have to pass it along to him to put with the rest of the others, to reuse when needed.

"Then, I think we need to talk."

Clint's tone was so absolutely flat it made the Wizard shiver…and his lover would have felt that though the grip had had on Phil's hip. Oh, this wasn't going to be good, but then he suspected that the Elf had a perfect right to be angry.

Phil had made a promise. Not to cut Clint out of any decision that would affect him and the family, and yet Phil had gone off alone after Daisy and had gotten himself and Crystal in so much trouble they could have died if they hadn't had fast-thinking friends. The Elf might have been glad to know they were safe and home, but that wasn't going to stop Clint from giving Phil all sorts of the hells for doing what he'd done.

Melinda and Andrew were waiting upstairs for them, but they each got a look at Clint's face, made their greetings short and sweet – well, Melinda had slapped Phil upside the head for doing something so utterly _stupid_ as to walk into a fight without back-up – and then practically pushed the two of them toward the stairs. Melinda must have been really angry, because she barely pulled her punch, making Phil's ears ring instead of knocking him flat on his ass.

Honestly, what else had he expected?

Clint got them up to their bedroom before he finally let loose.

"How dare you!" he hissed as he slammed the door behind them. "You _promised_ me, Phil. No more of this lone wolf shit. And what do you do? You go off alone, and you take our youngest daughter along for the ride! _And_ the two of you could have _died_ because you decided you had to teleport in, magic blazing, and take on Loki and the Hales and you had no idea if they had help! What were you _thinking_?"

Phil slumped down onto the bed, because he really had no rationalization for what he'd done. Clint was absolutely correct; Phil had charged in, without even paying attention to what Crystal was doing and letting her grab onto him, and it had led to both of them being lost in an alternate reality that could have meant their deaths if they'd been trapped there much longer.

"I know it's no excuse, but Crystal jumped on me as I was leaving –"

"No, it's no excuse. You _know_ Crystal…she has trouble letting us out of her sight at the best of times. And this was about Daisy, who was in danger. The only reason she left Daisy in the first place was because our oldest daughter showed sense and ordered Lockjaw to teleport Crystal home! And Lockjaw obeyed because it's his job to look after his companion! Crystal should never have been close enough _to_ jump on you, and you _know_ it."

The thing was, Clint was right. Phil had been fully aware of Crystal's separation issues. Daisy had been taken from her once already, by John Garrett, and she'd been a witness to that attempted kidnapping. She'd wanted to go with him, and she'd given up too easily. Gods only knew if she'd actually planned it or just jumped in when she saw the chance – he really didn't want to think she was that conniving, but then she'd had to do whatever she'd needed to survive long enough for Phil to find her. And, honestly, she could be pretty damned manipulative, although he was more willing to believe that was just because she was a child…Daisy had been the same way at that age. Which made it worse, that he hadn't expected it to happen when he really should have.

"You're right," he admitted, shoulders slumping. "About all of it. I should have called you immediately, but I knew how important it was that you be where you were. And…all I could think of, was that Hydra had done it _again_, taking Daisy to get to me, and I just had to go." He looked up at his lover, letting everything he'd been feeling show in his eyes…the terror, and the sheer _fury_, of knowing that Daisy was in danger because of _him_. Because Hydra wanted the Dark One.

Because his past kept coming back to haunt him, and it was hurting the ones he loved.

Clint sat down next to him, the bed dipping a little under his weight and making Phil slide toward him. "You're not alone anymore, Phil, and I'm gonna remind you as many times as it takes. I get what you're saying, about being angry and scared, because that was me, too. Hells, even Nick was… he called in his Avengers to go to your rescue, although I'm sure if you asked him he would deny it and say it was because we had actionable intel about Hydra and Loki."

The Wizard snorted. He would never say a thing to Marcus about the rescue, just for that reason. His oldest friend would deny it and take the truth to the grave.

"Clint." He turned his body a little, so he could meet his lover's eyes. "I can't promise that I won't do it again…after all, you saw what happened when I _did_ promise. But, I _can_ promise to try to let you know if and when I decide to rush headlong into something dangerous, and give you the chance to try and stop me."

One side of Clint's mouth crooked upward in a fond smile. "I suppose that will have to be good enough." He reached over, taking Phil's hand in his. "Damnit, I almost lost you both, just when I'd found you again."

"How did you find us?" Phil suspected he knew; he could feel it now, the soul bond, a starry thread running between them, black as Void but with pinpricks of light dancing within it. It seemed stronger than ever before, connecting them forever.

"It was the soul bond." Clint went on to explain, and the Wizard found himself nodding along. He'd guessed that the strange rock was the Reality Stone, just from his original glance at it. Phil had recognized it from its aura…or its lack of aura, really. It had been so obviously created by the same Wizard who'd made the other stones, and the reality-warping magic around the valley had made that obvious.

The longer he knew Ianto Jones, the more the Cardinal Wizard impressed him. His ability to read magical Artifacts and get them to work for him was truly magnificent.

"I'm glad it was you who came for us," he admitted, once Clint was done with all the explaining.

"I'll always come for you." Clint nudged him with his shoulder. "Just don't make it a habit."

"I'll do my best." It was all Phil could say. There were still going to be times when he would have to do things that Clint couldn't follow, but he would, from now on, explain things as much as he possibly could. The idea of keeping secrets from his fiancé…it simply didn't appeal to him. He'd already kept his being alive from him for eleven years. That had been the worst secret he had.

"Lay down." Clint pushed and tugged at Phil – dislodging both Lola and Lucky in the process, the dragons having curled up on the bed while the two had their discussion – until he had his back against the headboard, the archer curled up next to him, doing his best to touch every single part of the Wizard. It wasn't sensual in any way; Phil recognized the need for Clint to be reassured by his physical presence, and he relaxed back into the embrace, just enjoying the contact.

Phil had no idea how long they lay there, the silence stretching out between them. It was a comfortable one, and it was nice to simply _exist_ for a little while, and not have to worry about anything. Lola let her own contentment flow through their link; she had gotten Lucky down onto the hearth, where they'd curled up together as well. She hadn't defended him to Clint, but then Phil had known exactly how she'd felt about him haring off on his own, so he hadn't expected it.

Finally, though, Clint shifted a little. "While you were off facing Hydra on your own," and there was still a bit of sarcasm in his words, which Phil thought was entirely justified, "a couple of other things happened that you might want to know about."

"Oh?" The Wizard hoped it wasn't anything too serious. He didn't really want to make any important decisions right now.

"First of all, we found Crystal's older sister."

"What?" That news had Phil sitting up, in order to look at Clint in surprise. They'd been searching, of course, hoping that there would be some news of the missing elder child; Sir Napoleon hadn't found a single trace, once it was confirmed that there had, indeed, been a firstborn daughter in Crystal's birth family. "Where was she?"

As soon as he asked, he knew…she'd been in Jiaying's little enclave. How she'd gotten there was a mystery for now, but just from what he'd heard, the woman who'd claimed to be Daisy's mother had been collecting magical children that had been abused and had brought them into that valley.

"Where is she now?" he qualified, needing to find that little girl and bring her home. He and Clint had talked about that very thing, if Crystal's biological sister was still living, but Phil had honestly given up any hope of discovering her fate.

"She's here. Did you think I'd just let her go, once I found out who she was?" Clint rolled his eyes, but it was fondly, as if he was a little put out by Phil's doubt but willing to accept it under the circumstances.

Phil sighed. Thank the Gods. There was no way he was going to let her get away, not now. Crystal might have been too young to have recognized her, but she was a part of the family, and always will be. "We'll have to contact Baron Alexander and have him draw up more adoption paperwork."

"We'll do that tomorrow. Later on you can meet Medusa officially. For now, we still have some talking to do."

Clint's face was as serious as he'd ever seen it. Something was wrong, and he was a little afraid to find out what that was. So, he decided to stick to subjects that couldn't have put that expression on his lover's features.

"And what about that woman professing to be Daisy's mother?" To be honest, Phil really didn't want to know about her, but he needed to ask. After all, she'd abandoned her own daughter, and had returned to cause havoc after so long.

"Oh, she's in Wizard jail at the moment." Clint's tone was flippant. "Apparently, she's a lich."

"Shit. And how's Daisy with that?" Phil was worried about his eldest daughter; not only discovering her birth mother would have been bad enough, but to discover she was some sort of undead creature…

"Furious, but fine. I wouldn't leave her alone with Jiaying, she's liable to punch her."

That was his girl. His amazing, strong, wonderful Daisy.

"Phil," Clint went serious once more, "there's something else you need to know."

"You can tell me anything." The Wizard nestled back down, for some reason not really wanting to hear what his lover had to say but knowing it was important.

And so, Clint explained.

He talked about the UnEarthly Child, and how she was actually an immortal Elven illusionist named Ashildr. How she'd claimed to be the placeholder for the Void Deathless, until he could come and take her position as Jack's opposite.

How Clint was that opposite.

Phil couldn't make up his mind whether he was appalled or unbelievably happy.

From the moment he'd discovered that he'd been 'cursed' by the Void to be immortal, he'd considered it a punishment. He would lose everyone he'd ever loved, and continue on himself, neither aging nor changing, remaining the same as he always was, throughout all eternity. He'd have friends to help him, to keep him from despairing too much, but Phil knew himself, knew that that support wouldn't be enough. He would have learned to live in the present, and not worry about the future, but that wouldn't be enough when the time came.

When the first of the losses occurred.

But now…

"Do you…" he swallowed hard. He couldn't get the words out.

"Phil." The chest under his head sighed. "I want to be with you. Forever. If this is what it takes, then…yes. I want to do this. We're connected, you and I, and there's a reason for that. Oh, I'm not saying we can't choose our own destinies, that Ashildr could've whistled it out of her ass if I decided it wasn't for me, but…honestly…it _is_ for me. This is the life I want. It's _always_ been the life I've wanted, from the moment I was introduced to you. Back then, I had no idea what that introduction would lead to, but it had always been leading to this." His arms tightened around Phil. "I love you, Phil Coulson, and I want to spend eternity with you."

"Even though you'll lose everyone you love?" The Wizard's heart wanted to break at his lover's admission.

"But I won't…because I won't lose _you_. We'll always have each other, no matter how many centuries we're together. Sure, we're going to lose our girls, I know that…but we have so many years with them ahead, and we'll have each other to support when that day does come. Phil, living forever isn't as much of a punishment if you have someone you love walking beside you."

He was absolutely stunned. That Clint wanted this, wanted to live forever with him, become the Void version of the Deathless…Phil couldn't believe he was so lucky to have someone like that in his life. There was only one thing he could say.

"Marry me."

Clint started, then laughed. "I thought you already asked me that. I _am_ wearing your token, after all."

Phil's fingers stroked along the bracer he'd given Clint, just before all this began. He would have to get on with all those enchantments he'd intended to put on it. "I think it bears asking again, especially after that speech you just gave."

"I'm not much for speeches, but when I make one…"

"It makes me want to propose."

The laughter that Clint let out came straight from the belly, shaking Phil along with his lover. "If you do that when I say my vows –"

"You won't have to say yes. I'll already have you where I'll want you."

"Oh, I'd say yes anyway."

The light teasing went a long way to easing Phil's conscience about the entire situation. There was a part of him that believed Clint was only involved in all this because of his presence in the Elf's life… which was true, really. But it was the way Clint was reacting to the very notion of immortality that was giving Phil pause. He wasn't doing it for power, or prestige, or any of the Hydra rigamarole… it was out of love.

Love for Phil, and the need to make his own immortal life easier by being able to stay by his side throughout eternity.

Clint wasn't being pressured into it, although from his description of events Ashildr had fully expected him to agree immediately. No, he'd given it thought, and had decided that being with Phil was worth the pain.

It was humbling. That someone could love him, past and all, that much.

"I think," he said, sitting up, "I'm going to take a bath, then go and talk to our girls. Well, Daisy and Medusa, since I'm sure Crystal is still asleep. Although she could surprise me." He never had gotten a bath back in that alternate reality, and he could almost still smell the scent of that odd air on his skin.

Clint pouted, and Phil smirked. "Of course, I wouldn't object to some company."

The pout vanished, and Clint was off the bed and heading into the privy. Phil laughed as his lover began peeling his clothes off as he went, hopping on one foot as he tried to take off his trousers without removing his boots first.

Phil followed, taking off his clothes in a more traditional manner…boots first. He couldn't believe how lucky he was, having Clint back in his life.

His very long life.


	95. Chapter 95

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Five

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"Loki _did_ escape," Baron Nick concluded, "but I did contact the magistrates and they've put out watches on all the ports and border crossings. We'll find him." He sounded absolutely confident in that declaration.

Thor doubted that highly. Loki would only be found when he wished it, and not before. With his power of illusion, he could have simply taken on another aspect and moved past the magistrates easily. At this moment, he could have been literally anywhere in the world, and no one would know.

"So," one of the Barons drawled, "the first outing for your so-called Avengers was a failure."

The Council of Barons had been called two days after the events in the valley. Thor had been invited to attend by both Baroness Victoria and Baron Nick, although there was very little he could add to the conversation. As a visiting dignitary with a stake in what occurred, he would have been welcomed anyway, but Thor felt as if time was slipping away, and it was now growing too late to find his wayward brother.

It did nothing for his peace of mind that he could not even get a glance of any plan that Loki may have had. In his heart, he knew that Loki had been responsible for Ruby Hale's current condition; somehow, he had twisted her into touching the so-called Reality Stone. That contact had damaged her irreparably, from what he understood, and it was just one more black mark against the man who had once been as close to Thor as any brother of blood.

"If by _failure_," Baron Nick snorted, "you mean taking down the last of the Hydra cabal, locating about twenty magical children who'd been abandoned by their own parents because of the type of Wizard they are and assumed dead for the most part, confiscated a powerful magical Artifact, and stopped an actual, honest-to-Gods lich from building up a cult with those presumed dead children that could have caused a hells of a lot of problems for us all down the road, then yeah…_massive_ failure."

The Baron did, indeed, have several valid points.

"We have given over the magical children into Guild custody," Baron Jeremy Bolt said, a slight stutter to his words.

"And the Guild is in the process of locating the children's Baronies of origin and the identities of the parents responsible for this horror," Grand Master Stephen Strange spoke up. He and Grand Master Phil Coulson were also in attendance; Grand Master Ianto Jones, not being a resident of the Western Lands, had deferred to his fellows the responsibility of attending the Council and adding to the reports being made about events.

"We will also be putting into place procedures that are meant to prevent this sort of outrage from ever happening again." Grand Master Phil's expression was bland and passive, but Thor could see the anger in his eyes. "The Grand Masters will be doing everything in our power to stop this prejudice against certain magicks from taking an even bigger hold on the people who don't have magic and are victims of this sort of propaganda. It's becoming a critical issue, endangering the lives of innocents, and it needs to cease before we lose anyone else to it."

Thor had heard from Baron Nick that the Grand Master, himself, had been a victim of such prejudice, as had two of his daughters – one of which had been amongst the children in the valley, newly adopted by Grand Master Phil and his lover, Clint Barton. If anyone could do battle against such insanity, then it would be someone who had such deep experience of the issue. He wondered if that had led him down the dark path he'd taken when younger.

There were nods about the room, Wizards and Barons and Knights all in accord with the Grand Master's proclamation. The Prince had no doubt that the Baronies with children involved in the cult of personality that Jiaying had set up would be doing their best for them, finding their families and bringing the full weight of both Wizard and Baronial justice against them. How a parent could so callously abandon a child simply because they were Cardinal or Void was something Thor did not believe he would ever understand.

"The Guild also has taken the Artifact recovered into custody," Grand Master Stephen added. "It has been locked away in the most secure of the Archives. However," his dark eyes scanned the table, "we have it on good authority that it, and others like it, will play into some future event that we must be ready for."

That caused murmurs to ripple around the table the Barons were seated at. "What do you mean?" It was Baroness Victoria who spoke. She looked concerned which, to Thor's point of view, was an excellent response to make.

He'd been explained to about the prophecy. There were such Seers in Asgard, and yet none had the perfect recall as had the mythical UnEarthly Child. When he had mentioned it to Mother, her face had turned grave, and she had cautioned Thor to believe everything that the odd child had to say… even if those words were steeped in shadowy riddles. The Prince had been surprised by her wholehearted support of such a Seer, especially one who was not of Asgard.

"There has been a prophecy given by the UnEarthly Child," the Great Grand Master replied.

That caused an even greater burst of murmuring, this sounding concerned. "Who else is familiar with this prophecy?" another Baron inquired; this one Thor believed was Baron Torando. Thor had not been officially introduced to the man, but understood he was a scientist, one who studied how things worked, and would look at anything such as a prophecy as logically as possible. His lady wife, who was also his Court Wizard, was nodding in agreement with his question.

"The person who received the prophecy," Grand Master Phil answered, "and reported it immediately to Grand Master Ianto Jones. As of now, perhaps a dozen others are aware of it; mostly those who seem to be involved with events to come."

He sounded sincere; however, Thor had the distinct impression that there were more aware of this prophecy that simply a dozen. As one of those seemingly mentioned in the prophecy, the Prince of Asgard understood that those spoke of in the UnEarthly Child's cards had been informed of their place in things, but there were others peripherally involved that would also have known.

"The members of the Avengers were named," Grand Master Stephen added. "So, we know that the Initiative will be on the frontlines of whatever battle is coming."

"Just what are these Artifacts you mentioned, Grand Master?" It was Baroness of the Waves who spoke this time.

As Grand Master Stephen explained about the Stones – without seeming to actually explain much about them, causing Thor's respect of the man to rise even further – Thor watched the table, to catch the reactions of the Barons as the information was imparted upon them. Many of them were opening curious, while others seemed bored. Baron Tony, who was seated in his place at the table, had leaned forward, his chin in his hands and, if Thor had not been aware of the gemstone that was a part of him, he would never have known that there was a magical Artifact glowing softly under the velvet tunic he was wearing for the occasion.

Of course, Thor had gotten a far more detailed explanation of the Stones than the Barons were getting, which was understandable, as he was seemingly a part of what was to happen in the future. He had, of course, mentioned them to Mother, and she had promised to search through the histories for any mention of them. If they were as ancient as Grand Master Stephen believed, then there may be no record of them remaining; however, Asgard's Archives were extensive, and had not been lost or destroyed when magic had left the world, unlike other caches that were only now being discovered in other countries. If she _did_ discover something then Thor would inform the Grand Masters.

T'was sometimes better to ask forgiveness later, than to seek permission beforehand.

Still, he was also aware that the Grand Masters were beginning their own investigations into the Stones. Already, they had tasked a rather singular group of children to research into the Archives at Gateway, which Thor understood was the greatest repository of magical knowledge outside of Asgard. There was also Torchwood Castle, and Grand Master Ianto – who, apparently, had once worked there before his discovery of being a powerful Wizard – had approached the Baroness there in order to gain permission to send a representative to make a search there, as well. Grand Master Ianto had explained that there had been tensions between Torchwood Castle and the Wizard's Guild dating back nearly a century, when the Guild was first formed and the Castle, which had once been chartered to seek out dangerous magical knowledge and keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Apparently, that particular Baroness then had taken umbrage at the Royal Decree on moving everything to Gateway, and had dug in her heels until the day she had passed. Grand Master Ianto, however, was on good terms with the current ruler, and permission had been quickly given.

Between all three Archives, there was yet a chance that knowledge of these Stones would be discovered.

"And when will these Avengers appear before the Council?"

Baron Bronze had spoken, once the debate about the Stones had petered out. A tall man, his skin the color of rich bronze – ironic, considering the name of his Barony – had a decidedly lack of any sort of curiosity in his mien, but then Thor had the distinct impression that this sort of expressionlessness was usual for the man.

"Some of them wish to remain anonymous," Baron Nick answered. Sitting behind him, Sir Steve did not move a single muscle. "However, there are seven currently serving as Avengers: a new iteration of the Paladin of the Western Lands –"

There was an uproar, and Thor barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Truly, did they not think that a new Paladin would not be found to serve? Although, he of course knew that the new Paladin was, indeed, the old Paladin from three hundred years ago. He had been sworn to secrecy as Sir Steve had no wish for anyone to know the truth. Thor understood the reasoning behind it, the man wishing to begin again, and he would keep the oath he'd made to not speak about the matter.

He had come to know the other Avengers in the two days since the fighting, and he was quite impressed with them. He had been a witness to their fighting prowess as well, and knew he could work with them very well indeed. He was disappointed that neither Grand Master Ianto or Captain Harkness would be joining them, but he did understand that, as they were from the United Kingdom, they could not officially join the Initiative, but he believed it to be a waste of two such formidable fighters.

Grand Master Stephen would also not be a part of the team, but Grand Master Phil would. Thor thought it amusing his reaction when Baron Nick had told him that he was, based on the UnEarthly Child's prophecy; the Grand Master had huffed as if he had been imposed upon, snarking back at the Baron about, how, _"Getting your way in this instance doesn't mean it'll always happen,"_ and the Baron's delighted laughter and denial that he'd _ever_ try anything like that. Grand Master Phil had patently not believed him. And he would know not to, as they were the greatest of friends and, from what Thor had gathered, had once been shield brothers, their friendship forged in battle.

Baron Nick had a disgruntled expression upon his face as he raised a hand – and his voice – for silence. "No, you're not gonna know who this new Paladin is. It's under guarantee of anonymity that he's agreed to take on the position. It'll be up to him if he reveals himself."

"You went and picked a Paladin without informing us?" The Baron Santana, an older man with pockmarked features, stared at Baron Nick implacably.

Not that Baron Triskelia seemed all that affected by it.

"I knew about it," Baron Tony spoke up. "And I agreed with the secrecy."

That admission had every single Baron staring at him; Baron Tony seemed to weather the glares perfectly well. Thor was even more impressed by the man than he had been when he had discovered that he had managed to create the armor that had flown in the battle, and yet had not a scrap of magic within him. As matter of fact, had been able to utilize a powerful magical Artifact in that armor. The Prince understood that the Baron was searching for a way to remove the gemstone, but it was yet early days and had not been successful as yet.

Baron Tony rolled his own eyes at his fellows. "My many-times great-grandfather was responsible for locating the original Paladin. Please…there's no one on this Council more qualified than me to do it again."

That appeared to mollify the seated Barons, although a couple still appeared somewhat put out by the revealing of a new Paladin and the fact that they had had no say in the matter. Thor had to wonder how they would all react if they had known that the new Paladin was the original Paladin. That would be immensely entertaining he thought.

"As I was saying," the Baron of Triskelia continued, "there is a new iteration of the Paladin. We also have a couple of first-class fighters, the Widow and the Hawk –"

Those titles also caused some murmuring, and Thor was not certain how to interpret it this time. Some were approving, while others did not look very happy. He had fought with both, and had been impressed. However, he had understood that the pair had once been mercenaries, and that past might have been coloring the perceptions of many on the Council. They had both been employed by Baron Nick for many years, and had an excellent reputation amongst the residents of Triskelia.

"Don't forget Iron Man," Baron Tony prompted, his expression smug.

"Like I could, Stark," Baron Nick snarked back. "And yes, we also have a self-titled Iron Man, who fights in a suit of armor that's a combination of advanced science and equally advanced magic."

Thor knew, of course, that Baron Tony Stark was this Iron Man. The Baron had wanted to come out completely, claiming his place on the team outright; however, his lady, the Mistress Pepper Potts, had asked him to refrain, saying that if it became common knowledge that her beloved was the one to wear the armor, it may put his people into danger. He had demurred to her obvious concern, agreeing that he would do nothing to jeopardize those under his protection. There was also the matter of the Space Stone that powered the armor, as knowledge of such a powerful Artifact did not need to be generally known. There were many who would seek to take such an item, and it being connected so intimately to the Baron would not stand in their way.

Still, the Prince could certainly tell that it chafed him, not to be able to take the credit for the armor he had created, and the heroic acts he had committed. He had to wonder how long this secrecy would last, given the Baron's boisterous manner and lack of humility.

"There are two others," Baron Nick gave the Baron a glare. "One, is a magically-enhanced individual we're calling the Hulk, who will also remain nameless for now."

"And myself," Grand Master Phil spoke up. "On a team such as this, a powerful Wizard would be essential. And, in the event that I'm unable to assemble with the team, I will designate a replacement."

Now, that announcement received the credit it was due. Many of the Barons were nodding in agreement, others smiling, as if having such a presence on the Avengers would be the tipping point in any sort of melee. And, perhaps it would, although Thor knew there would be much other sorts of fighting to be had.

"Also, on a temporary basis," the Grand Master continued, "Prince Thor has agreed to work with the Initiative in its hunt for Loki."

"Aye." Thor inclined his head toward the Wizard. "Loki is Asgard's responsibility; we are the ones he had aid escaping from, and we hold that responsibility quite seriously indeed." Well, Thor himself did. Mother, as well. They would see to it that Loki was discovered and brought back to justice.

Although, he was beginning to wonder of taking him back to Asgard would be such a good idea. Perhaps he should speak to Grand Master Phil about a more permanent solution with the Wizard's Guild. Loki might not have been a member, but he did feel that Wizards would be best to handle other Wizards.

He would discuss this with his new friend, the Grand Master. Thor was certain they could come to some sort of arrangement. He was also certain his Mother would approve, as well.

As the Council Chamber devolved into much discussion of the Avengers and their duties, Thor was left to his own thoughts. There was still much to do. Thor knew that, with Loki still out in the world, that his brother could create much chaos on an unsuspecting world.

However, the Prince of Asgard felt that he and the Avengers would be up to the task of protecting those innocents who would find themselves caught between the forces of light and darkness.

It would be a task, indeed.

It would be glorious in its ending result. Of that, Thor had no doubt.


	96. Chapter 96

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Six

Author: Milady Dragon

* * *

"Well," the woman sat back in her chair, "it looks like you have a job."

Loki barely contained the smirk that wanted to display itself. It had been ridiculously simple getting a position at the traveling show, once he had disguised himself and manipulated events in order to make such a position available.

Hydra had known much about the Dark One, and Catherine Hale had delighted in sharing her knowledge with Loki, as if she was attempting to prove herself the better person by her acts of braggadocio. Loki had feigned being impressed as he absorbed the information she was imparting in such dribs and drabs that was designed to keep him interested and in line with her aims, even as she was keeping the man's true name from him.

Those plans had not worked out so well, to be sure, given that Hale was now a prisoner of the Wizard's Guild, along with the rest of her failed Hydra cabal.

One of the many tiny items of information Hale had shared during the weeks Loki had been in her company had been the names of the Dark One's cohorts. Imagine his surprise when he'd been informed that one of his former slaves, the mercenary known as the Hawk, had been one of those cohorts! Loki had only wanted the Hawk for his fighting skills, not his knowledge, and had not asked personal questions of the Elf's associates.

In the light of that revelation, Loki had figured out why the Dark One had challenged him…because he had taken one of the Dark One's own. This made much sense.

Hindsight is, of course, the clearest sort.

Hale had done a little research on the Hawk as well. Hydra had had many ways of discovering secrets; Loki wished he had had access to that sort of ability, now lost as Hydra no longer existed. Which was a shame, as it could have been of so much use.

Still, he had gained a few insights on the man known as the Hawk, although at the time it had actually mattered very little to him. Which now he knew had been a mistake. Loki hated making mistakes, although he could admit to himself that he'd done so.

And one of those insights had been that, as a child, the mercenary had performed within this very traveling show as the Amazing Hawkeye.

Loki had been surprised, and had doubted it; however, much of what Catherine Hale had imparted had had the ring of truth to it. So, when Hydra had been at last defeated and the valley taken, Loki had chosen to hide amidst the very people who had once raised a young Hawk, seeing the irony in the situation and enjoying it very much.

Laura Barton was smiling. "We're lucky you came along when you did," she said. "When our last illusionist quit…"

"I am glad I checked, then," Loki simpered, his assumed voice sounding strange in his head. "I'll be honest…I hadn't considered a traveling show until I saw yours."

Laura Barton cocked her head. "Then why now, Mistress Amora? I'm curious." Her eyes were quite discerning.

Loki was going to need to stay on his guard with this one.

Taking on the form of a woman was, for him, an old trick and yet one that always seemed to be successful. He had managed to fool many a one who should have known better, and in this place there was no one who should have done. As Amora, he felt perfectly safe.

"I've always believed in broadening one's horizons, and this seemed as if as good an opportunity as any. Besides, I think I have something to offer." He gave her a winning smile, brushing a lock of his blonde hair out of his face. "I don't really need the coin. But I'd like to try my hand at entertaining."

Sleipnir laughed in his mind, and it was all the Wizard could do not to do the same outright. Playacting could be such fun, despite the reason he had to do so. He reached down and stroked his dragon's head, green and black scales hidden behind his own Illusion spell, scales now completely emerald in hue. The spell was a simple one, even with his own magic so compromised, and would have no problem keeping both his and Sleipnir's disguises intact.

The woman was looking at him closely, and Loki relaxed even further into his new persona. It would take someone with much more discernment to catch onto him, although he knew he would have to be cautious. He could not afford to give himself away, not with the current search for him ongoing.

Staying in the Western Lands was most certainly a risk, however Loki believed it was the best one to take. By now, surely the government would have a watch on the ports of exit from the country, as well as the borders. And, while he was certain there were places he could slip through and escape, taking that chance did not seem worth it, in the Wizard's estimation. Lying low, as these uncouth people called it, seemed to be the best solution, until such time as the search flagged on its own.

Until that time, he would stay with the same traveling show that had once housed the Hawk himself, and see what sort of mischief he could raise until boredom once again set in.

And, as Amora the Enchantress, a humble illusionist and Mistress of Magic, there was much mischief Loki would achieve.


	97. Chapter 97

Rise of the Champions - Chapter Ninety-Seven- Complete

Author: Milady Dragon

Author's note: And so, this is the end of this particular story. I don't know when the next one will start posting, although it is started. Thank you all for reading along and commenting! I hope it's been an enjoyable ride!

* * *

He stood at the window high in his tower, looking out over the ocean that surrounded the island he and his clan had lived on for generations untold.

Once again, he had felt the call of one of the Stones of Infinity, and yet the awareness of it had faded, as they always did. Over the millennia, the members of the clan had always been able to sense when one of the Stones was in use. Generations would go by and none would ever experience the heady sensation of a Stone at work, and then one would be discovered and come to life for a short while.

The Stones had been a creation of the first Wizard of his clan. That Wizard had been mighty, and yet he would not have had the power to bring into being such amazing Artifacts if not for the unique spell he had used to enchant them. It had been a deal, of sorts; in order to create the Stones, his ancestor had called all the magic within their clan to his aid…magic from past, present, and future, depleting their family line even as he was responsible for creating the most powerful Artifacts the world had ever seen, each with the power over a specific universal element and, when brought together, could do anything their wielder so wished.

Space.

Time.

Power.

Soul.

Mind.

Reality.

They had been lost in ages past, and even the ancient records did not say how that had occurred. Various tales said that the Stones had been stolen, or had left on their own, having gained enough sentience in their creation to give them their own version of free will. In the end, it did not matter; his clan had long sought the Stones, to return them to the clan.

Or to use them in the way _he_ saw fit.

Only a handful of days ago, the Reality Stone had awakened. He had been able to feel the power of it, connected as his family was to all of the Stones of Infinity, and he had yearned for it so strongly it was as if it had called to both his heart and his soul, like a soulmate that was a vast distance away.

At the same time, the Space Stone had also awakened, but before he could act, both had faded away once more.

Oh, there had been times over the years when he'd believed he'd felt the pull of the one of the Stones. Most recently, it had been the Space Stone, yet that had only been a blip and had winked back to sleep almost immediately. Prior to that, he had sensed the Mind Stone for a short time, eleven years previously, but whoever had utilized it had only used very little of its vast power. He had been about to leave the island, to go in search of it, but its presence had faded by the time he had been able to find a ship to take him to the Western Lands.

The meticulous records kept by his ancestors had written many instances when the Stones had become active for a short while. His great-grandfather had sensed the Soul Stone, over one hundred years ago, just before magic had come back into the world. And, three hundred years before that, the Space Stone had become activated for such a long time that the head of the clan at the time had managed to take ship to the Western Lands and track it as far as the mountains before it went to sleep once again.

To have come that close, to finding one of their family's Artifacts…it had broken the leader beyond repair, and he had lived out his days in madness.

Thus was the price the clan had paid in order to create the ultimate of Artifacts.

And, someday, he would be the one to bring their Artifacts home.

Thanos, of the Clan Thanos, swore it upon his very life and soul.

He would find his family's legacy and fulfil his destiny.

_Fin_


End file.
